TOKYO: Close US ally Japan said it scrambled fighter jets on Monday after a Chinese military aircraft “violated” its airspace in a further escalation of regional tensions.

The two-minute incursion into Japanese airspace by the Y-9 surveillance aircraft at 11:29am was the first by a Chinese military plane, local media reported. The aircraft “violated the territorial airspace off the Danjo Islands in Nagasaki Prefecture”, prompting Japan to deploy “fighter jets on an emergency basis”, Japan’s defence ministry said.

It said steps such as “issuing warnings” to the aircraft were taken. Broadcaster NHK reported that no weapons, such as flare guns, were used as an alert. The defence ministry released a photograph of what it said was the plane. Deputy foreign minister Masataka Okano summoned China’s acting ambassador and “lodged firm protest”, as well as calling for measures against a recurrence, the foreign ministry said in a statement. The Chinese diplomat said in response that the matter would be reported to Beijing, according to the ministry. There was no immediate official comment from Beijing.

China’s growing economic and military clout in the Asia-Pacific region and its assertiveness in territorial disputes — in particular Taiwan — has alarmed the United States and its allies.

Japan, staunchly pacifist for decades, has ramped up defence spending with US encouragement, moving to acquire “counter-strike” capabilities and easing rules on arms exports. Tokyo is also providing funding and equipment such as patrol vessels to countries across the region and agreed in July on a deal with the Philippines allowing troop deployments on each other’s soil.

Japan and South Korea have also moved to bury the historical hatchet. Tokyo is also part of the Quad alliance with the United States, Australia and India, a grouping seen as a bulwark against Beijing.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2024