The Japanese government assumed that the aircraft identified in its airspace was a Chinese reconnaissance vehicle and said it could not accept it. The possibility of using missiles to shoot down was even mentioned. China responded by telling it not to follow the US. It is emerging as a new issue of conflict in China-Japan relations.
According to public NHK and Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) on the 15th, the Ministry of Defense of Japan announced in a press release the night before, “Including November 2019, June 2020, and September 2021, balloon-type flights confirmed in Japanese airspace in the past As a result of repeated analysis of the object, it was determined that it was strongly assumed to be an unmanned reconnaissance vehicle flown by China.”
At the same time, he emphasized, “Invasion of airspace by foreign unmanned reconnaissance equipment is absolutely unacceptable.”
The Ministry of Defense said that it had strongly urged the Chinese government through diplomatic channels to verify the facts and to prevent such a situation from occurring.
According to the Ministry of Defense, the cases in which balloon-shaped flying objects have been confirmed in Japan are ▲Satsumasendai City, Kagoshima Prefecture in November 2019 ▲Sendai City in June 2020 ▲Aomori in September 2021 (?森) Hachinohe (八?) City ▲ January 2022 Kyushu (九州) western high seas, etc.
In January of last year, in the high seas west of Kyushu, a Self-Defense Force patrol aircraft confirmed an unknown organization. At the time, it was reported that the patrol plane chased the balloon and took a picture.
According to a Ministry of Defense official, while analyzing the possibility that some of the four cases were Chinese balloons, the US military learned information from the US side about the Chinese balloons shot down on the 4th. As a result of a comprehensive analysis, we reached a conclusion that the organization identified in Japan is presumed to be a Chinese reconnaissance organization, an official told NHK.
The Ministry of Defense of Japan said, “In terms of instruments, invading airspace without permission from our country constitutes airspace invasion. In the future, we will continue to make unprecedented efforts to collect information and monitor alerts on organizations, including unmanned reconnaissance vehicles of foreign governments.”
In particular, Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada was asked at a press conference on the 14th whether the equipment of the Self-Defense Forces could shoot down balloons like the U.S. military, and if balloons from other countries flew to Japan, “including launching air-to-air missiles. We can use our weapons,” he said.
He explained that this response was possible based on Article 84 of the Self-Defense Force Act.
Article 84 of the Japan Self-Defense Force Act stipulates the response to the case of foreign aircraft invading Japanese airspace. Necessary measures may be taken, such as making an emergency departure of an aircraft of the Self-Defense Forces or landing or leaving a foreign aircraft. In case of self-defense or emergency evacuation, the use of weapons is permitted.
China reacted against Japan’s response.
According to Kyodo News, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a regular press conference on the afternoon of the 14th, “We hope that Japan will take an objective and fair stance and follow the United States and avoid creating a commotion.”
Kyodo analyzed that this incident “has the potential to become a new spark in Japan-China (China-Japan) relations.” He explained that the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs had repeatedly checked Japan not to comply with the claims of the United States.
In addition, the news agency diagnosed, “China is also asking South Korea not to sympathize with the United States over institutional issues, and is wary of increasing international criticism of China.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.