Japan protests China's airspace 'violation' near disputed islands

Japan, China trade airspace violation accusations

Japan and China have both lodged protests about airspace violations around the Japanese-controlled East China Sea islands, which Beijing also claims.

Tokyo and Beijing protested diplomatically, accusing each other of an "intrusion" Saturday, May 3, in their airspace over disputed islands in the East China Sea. These uninhabited islands, known as Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan, are administered by Tokyo but Beijing claims them. They are a regular point of tension between the two countries.

The Government of Japan issued a "strong protest" against China, claiming to have detected an intrusion in the airspace and Japanese territorial waters.

China and Japan’s Diaoyu Islands dispute flares up again over ‘intrusions’

Both sides lodge protests over an incident triggered by the presence of the Chinese coastguard and a Japanese civilian plane in the area.

Japan protests China's airspace 'violation' near disputed islands

Japan's defence ministry said a helicopter, launched from a Chinese coast guard vessel, flew within Japanese airspace for about 15 minutes on Saturday (May 3) near the disputed islands.

Japan and China accuse each other of violating airspace around disputed East China Sea islands

Japan and China are accusing each other of violating the airspace around the Japanese-controlled East China Sea islands that Beijing also claims.