The ministry said one of the Chinese military's Y-9 intelligence-gathering planes had briefly entered Japanese territory near the Danjo Islands in Nagasaki Prefecture.

The territorial violation by China is the latest in a series of events amplifying tensions between Beijing and Japan.

A Chinese military surveillance plane breached Japanese airspace off the country’s southwestern coast on Monday, marking what Japan’s defense ministry described as the first known incursion by China’s military into its territorial airspace.

According to a ministry official, a Chinese reconnaissance aircraft briefly entered Japanese territory near Nagasaki Prefecture around 11:30 a.m. on Monday. In response, Japan’s Self-Defense Force put fighter jets on high alert and issued a warning to the Chinese aircraft.

While Chinese planes frequently appear in international airspace around Japan, this incident represents the first confirmed entry of a military aircraft into Japan’s territorial airspace.

  • someguy3@lemmy.worldEnglish
    441·
    4 months ago

    Wheee.

    But in seriousness, if China learned anything from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine it’s that military corruption is a bitch and you need way more equipment than you thought. I expect it’s posturing. Sun Tzu: when you’re weak, appear strong.

  • Jin@lemmy.worldEnglish
    201·
    4 months ago

    Not surprising China Always pushing borders, salami slicing, claiming what’s not theirs, sending spy balloons etc

    Sadly they just get away with it

  • magnetosphere@fedia.io
    0·
    4 months ago

    My reckless, irresponsible “solution” would be to just shoot ’em the fuck down. It’s a good thing I’m not in charge of Japanese border security. I’d probably start World War 3.

    • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      4 months ago

      My reckless, irresponsible “solution” would be to just shoot ’em the fuck down.

      Reconnaissance aircraft are notoriously difficult to hit, due to their high altitude and high speed.

      Firing a bunch of ordinance into the sky would just mean raining it back down on your own population.

      • mlfh@lemmy.mlEnglish
        0·
        4 months ago

        The Y9 in question here though is slow, fat, and low - max speed of 360kn and a service ceiling of 10,000m. It’s a cargo plane with EW stuff on it.

        • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.worldEnglish
          0·
          4 months ago

          Then it seems like there’s a leap of logic between “cargo plane” and “reconnaissance aircraft”. Very possible it was just an inexperienced/behind schedule pilot cutting corners on the route.

          Seems like a dick move to kill an entire plane full of people because someone decided to short-cut through your airspace.

          • limonfiesta@lemmy.worldEnglish
            01·
            4 months ago

            Possible, but these are also the type of aircraft you would expect to see in mass during any naval conflict or blockading action against China. I believe the PLAAF/PLAN are working on their version of Rapid Dragon.

            Relatively slow, but plentiful, cargo planes, would be a pretty obvious choice for launching a saturation attack against USN or Japanese forces operating outside the range of their land based missiles. Again, assuming they develop a similar system to Rapid Dragon.

      • limonfiesta@lemmy.worldEnglish
        01·
        4 months ago

        This isn’t reconnaissance, it’s standard airspace incursion and intercept.

        Everyone here seems to be a really hawkish as of late, or possibly just having a very poor understanding of international relations.

    • NOT_RICK@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      4 months ago

      Meh, Turkey shot down a Russian jet and nothing happened a handful of years back. Can you really be that mad when a fighter breaching protected airspace is shot down?

      • limonfiesta@lemmy.worldEnglish
        01·
        4 months ago

        Yes, you can.

        Russia and Turkey have very different political dynamics than China and Japan.

        Also, these types of airspace incursions, followed by intercepts, are pretty standard amongst major powers.

        It doesn’t mean they’re benign, but that shooting down Chinese planes intentionally as a response, is something you do if you’re willing and ready for the escalation path to result in open conflict, not simply an escalation.

          • limonfiesta@lemmy.worldEnglish
            01·
            4 months ago

            They have been a staple of great power competition since the Cold War, as a means of political signaling, military posturing, and gathering of intelligence.