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.
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.
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?
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.
Turkey isn't reliant on Russia, while Japan is very reliant on China.
China is a baby when it comes to politics, gets mad and never apologizes over the smallest thing.
Example when Australia said they wanted an investigation for COVID. China quickly took offense and banned coal, beef and wine imports.
Another example when Japan released Fukushima water into Ocean (following protocol). China got mad because Japan were "polluting" the water, so they banned fish imports from Japan. Irony is that China does it way worse and unregulated.
Just think what this airplane could start if they shoot it down.
I've got a better solution for you: wall of chain guns firing a curtain of giant bullets straight up all the time. All approved flights will be directed through the part of the curtain that'll be reloading in sync with their breach.
Unfortunately, bullets fired straight up need to... come down. And the wind means it won't always land in the same spot.
I still remember some idiot fired a pistol or something straight up at a local fireworks show a few years ago. A little boy died. It was really sad. I don't think they ever found the guy who did it, either.
... I just googled it. That was ten years ago. Dang...
I mean sometimes they didn't even mean to be in your airspace, the instruments on the craft just went goofy and now they're lost. It wouldn't be cool to shoot someone down just because they don't know where they are.
(Not saying this is what happened, just that it can happen)
Reconnaissance aircraft are notoriously difficult to hit, due to their high altitude and high speed.
I mean, maybe in the 80's? The technological advancements of SAM have basically made speed and altitude mean next to nothing. Now most things depend on being hard to pick up on radar, or like the plane in the article, are just large planes filled with electronic warfare equipment.
Firing a bunch of ordinance into the sky would just mean raining it back down on your own population.
Reconnaissance aircraft are notoriously difficult to hit
With exceptions for the United State's top shelf stealth planes the Japanese are quite capable of shooting down anything flying in earths atmosphere. In the event that Japanese can't do it the United States Aircraft Carrier Group assigned to Japan absolutely can.
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.
I suspect they have something to gain by fueling a climate of geopolitical tension. Maybe they hope someone will turn to them because they're scared?
I'm not sure what exactly but I've got a feeling we're underestimating their intelligence when we say they're just posturing or being silly.
But then again, several years ago people thought Trump and Musk had a plan and were just posturing as idiots while playing 4D chess. How wrong they were.
I may just be giving the Chinese government too much credit... But I'm leaning towards no.
Let's see how much longer, their economy is slowing down significantly, with a lot of international companies withdrawing their manufacturing sites partially or altogether. Even more drastic for IT and other R&D entities that can basically shut down and relocate without moving tons of physical assets around.
Just yesterday IBM shut down their Chinese operations entirely, with more than 30,000 employees across the country effectively out of jobs over night. They announced to move it all to India.
Many manufacturers that target the US are moving to Mexico thanks to the reduced tariffs and customs and shorter supply routes, EU manufacturers are going to Romania and Bulgaria for the same reasons now that they've joined the EU (a while ago, but relocating factories takes years).
Manufacturers of cheaper goods and components are increasingly moving to the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand, where labour costs are a fraction of what China is now - they grew too fast too quick.
I've just left China for Malaysia myself (also in the manufacturing business), and many of my associates have done as well or are planning to do so in the next 6-24 months.
China played "too big to fail" and is now learning a harsh lesson, on top of their failed real estate industry that wiped out a third of the GDP, with banks yet to follow. The big awakening will come soon, and I bet people won't overlook their international transgressions any longer.