Japan tells China violation of airspace by balloons unacceptable
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A suspected Chinese spy balloon in the sky seen over Billings, Montana, on Feb 1.
PHOTO: AFP
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TOKYO – Japan told China that violations of its airspace by uncrewed surveillance balloons were absolutely unacceptable, a spokesman for the Japanese government said on Wednesday.
Japan’s Defence Ministry said on Tuesday that it “strongly suspects” Chinese surveillance balloons had entered Japanese territory at least three times since 2019.
“As a result of further investigation of specific balloon-shaped flying objects that were confirmed in Japan’s airspace in the past, it is strongly suspected that they were unmanned surveillance balloons from China,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters.
Tokyo’s Defence Ministry said it had “strongly demanded China’s government confirm the facts” of the incident and “that such a situation not occur again in the future”.
“Violations of airspace by foreign unmanned reconnaissance balloons and other means are totally unacceptable,” it added.
Beijing hit back on Wednesday, saying Japan lacked proof.
“Japan is making groundless accusations and smearing China without conclusive evidence. We are resolutely opposed to that,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters.
Japan’s government is considering relaxing requirements on the use of weapons to defend against intrusions on its airspace, the Kyodo news agency reported on Wednesday.
Attention to past intrusions on Japan’s airspace has heightened since the United States shot down a Chinese balloon in February
