China says military plane entered Japan’s airspace because of ‘unexpected obstruction’

Explanation for August 26 incident comes ahead of likely first meeting between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba

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Tokyo says the Chinese Y9 reconnaissance aircraft violated Japanese airspace in the first such “confirmed and announced” incursion. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:02pm, 3 Nov 2024Updated: 7:50pm, 3 Nov 2024

Beijing has attributed an incursion by a Chinese military aircraft into Japan’s airspace in late August to an unspecified “unexpected obstruction”, Japanese news agency Kyodo reported on the weekend, citing diplomatic sources.

The explanation comes amid plans on both sides for an imminent meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who assumed office on October 1.

Both leaders are expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit from November 15 to 16 in Peru and the Group of 20 summit in Brazil on November 18 and 19.

The first summit between the pair is “most likely” to take place in Peru, sources told Kyodo on Thursday.

Ishiba, still reeling from a general election defeat late last month, is expected to raise concerns about China’s increasing military manoeuvres and “seek further explanation” on the airspace breach, according to the report.

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Japan condemns Chinese military plane’s ‘totally unacceptable’ airspace incursion

According to Japan’s defence ministry, a Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance plane entered Japanese airspace off Danjo Islands in southwestern Nagasaki prefecture on August 26. The incursion over the East China Sea lasted for about two minutes, and the Japanese Self-Defence Forces scrambled fighter jets in response.