Japan vows to watch Chinese warplane activity closely
TOKYO — Japan’s top government spokesman warned China on Monday against expanding its military activity to the skies over disputed East China Sea islands after eight Chinese warplanes flew near the area over the weekend.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said that Japan scrambled at least one fighter jet after the planes passed over the Miyako Strait on Sunday, east of the Japanese-controlled Senkaku islands, which China also claims and calls the Diaoyu.
The aircraft, believed to be two fighter jets, four bombers and two reconnaissance aircraft, did not violate Japanese airspace during a long-distance roundtrip flight, Suga said, but it was the first time Chinese warplanes had flown that route.
Chinese media reports said the flights were part of a routine exercise involving about 40 aircraft.