Japan keeps intercepting Chinese military drones and spy planes

Japan Said it had urgently dispatched fighter jets to intercept Chinese Military drones and accompanying reconnaissance aircraft were used for three consecutive days this week, as its national defense forces participated in a series of preparatory exercises with regional allies.

Thursday was the third consecutive day of Chinese drone sightings reported by the Joint Staff of the Ministry of Defense of Japan. A fighter plane of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force took an image of the drone.

According to the route map released by the office, the Japanese side discovered a Chinese TB-001 reconnaissance drone hovering in the Japanese waters. East China Sea Tuesday.The next day, Japan intercepted one BZK-005 UAV and two People’s Liberation Army Y-8 aircraft supporting maritime patrol and intelligence gathering variants.

The joint staff press release stated that three Chinese planes entered the western Pacific from the Miyako Strait through the international airspace between Okinawa and Miyako Island on Wednesday.

After the TB-001 and the two Y-8s returned on Thursday in a similar flight pattern, the Ministry of Defense of Japan characterized the drone as having both surveillance and attack capabilities.

Kyodo News reported on Wednesday that the PLA aircraft did not invade Japanese airspace.

Japan intercepts 3 Chinese drones and fighters — This photo taken by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and released by the Joint Staff of the Ministry of Defense of Japan shows a Chinese TB-001 drone, which Tokyo claims to have crossed the Miyako Strait into the Western Pacific with two Chinese People’s Liberation Army Y-8 Fighter, August 26, 2021.
Joint Staff Office of the Ministry of Defense of Japan

This series of drone sightings coincided with the ongoing military exercises of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. They conducted joint exercises with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. U.KVisiting Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier Strike Group August 24th, exercise-Japanese destroyer JS participated Asahi And helicopter carrier JS However——According to the Ministry of Defense of Japan, it happened south of Okinawa.

On August 26, Japanese naval forces joined the US, Indian, and Australian navies—all partners in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue—to begin the Malabar 2021 exercise in the Philippine Sea. U.S. Seventh Fleet Said in the press release.

Japan’s concerns about China’s eastward expansion South China Sea sand Across the Taiwan Strait increased frequency with Urgency In recent months, the final call for “Sense of crisis“In its annual defense white paper in July.

Surprising developments may have a groundbreaking impact on the collective security of the Indo-Pacific region. Officials of the Japanese ruling party invite their Taiwan counterparts to participate Bilateral security talks, Scheduled to be held on Friday.

At a monthly press conference on Thursday, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Tan Kefei accused Japan of exaggerating Beijing’s military threat. “Use this as an excuse for yourself Military expansion It is very wrong and irresponsible,” he said.