2025-05-05T02:33:00Z

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Tokyo, AP — Tensions between Japan and China have escalated significantly as both nations accused each other of violating airspace around the disputed East China Sea islands, known in Japan as the Senkaku Islands and in China as the Diaoyu Islands. This latest territorial dispute unfolds against a backdrop of improving diplomatic relations aimed at mitigating the impact of the ongoing trade war with the United States.

According to a statement released by Japan’s Foreign Ministry, the country lodged what it described as a “very severe protest” with the Chinese government after a helicopter, which took off from one of four Chinese coast guard vessels, entered Japan’s territorial waters near the Senkaku Islands. The incursion reportedly lasted approximately 15 minutes on Saturday, prompting Japan’s officials to characterize the incident as an “intrusion … into Japan’s territorial airspace.” Japan has urged the Chinese government to implement measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.

In response to this violation, Japan's Self-Defense Force swiftly scrambled fighter jets to the area, according to information provided by the Japanese Defense Ministry. This readiness to mobilize military assets underscores Japan's commitment to protecting its airspace and territorial integrity.

Conversely, China reacted strongly to the situation by lodging its own protests with Tokyo. The Chinese Embassy in Japan issued a statement expressing its “strong dissatisfaction” regarding what it termed a “severe violation of China’s sovereignty” by a Japanese civilian aircraft that allegedly breached Chinese airspace around the disputed islands. In response to the Japanese aircraft, the China Coast Guard claimed to have “immediately taken necessary control measures against it in accordance with the law” and dispatched a ship-borne helicopter to warn off the Japanese aircraft.

Japanese officials are currently investigating a potential link between the airspace intrusion by the Chinese coast guard helicopter and the presence of the small Japanese civilian aircraft in the vicinity at the same time. This investigation is crucial as incidents in the area often lead to increased military readiness and diplomatic tensions between the two nations.

It is worth noting that China regularly sends coast guard vessels and aircraft into the waters and airspace surrounding the Senkaku Islands, a tactic that serves to challenge Japan’s control and provoke responses from the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. This latest airspace intrusion marks the first of its kind since a Chinese reconnaissance aircraft violated Japanese airspace near the southern prefecture of Nagasaki back in August. Additionally, there have been two previous instances this year of Chinese aircraft encroaching upon Japanese airspace around the Senkaku Islands, highlighting the ongoing volatility in the region.