On Saturday, Japanese fighter jets took to the skies after monitoring two drones, suspected to be of Chinese origin, as they flew around Taiwan for the first time via a strategic waterway.
Japan’s Defense Ministry reported that these drones, along with a Chinese Y-9 intelligence-gathering aircraft, entered Japan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ). This is a crucial area where plane identification is necessary for national safety.
The drones were seen flying in opposite directions over the waters between Taiwan and Yonaguni, which is Japan’s most western island. The specifics about the drone models weren’t disclosed.
This “Yonaguni gap,” a narrow strip of water that connects the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea, has previously experienced military flights from both China and its ally Russia.
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Taiwan’s defense ministry confirmed the dual-drone flight. Over the course of 24 hours leading to 6 a.m. Sunday, a total of 36 Chinese military aircraft were recorded near the island, with 31 of those, including the two drones, traversing the Taiwan Strait.
China considers Taiwan a breakaway province and has not eliminated the possibility of using force to assert control. The increased military activities around Taiwan have raised alarms in both Japan and the United States.
The Y-9 plane was spotted circulating the waters east of Taiwan after departing from eastern China, making two passes through the Miyako Strait, a significant route for Chinese military operations aimed at the Pacific region.
In the hours following the initial incident, the number of Chinese military aircraft in the vicinity dropped to nine, with six crossing the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan’s military has since mobilized aircraft, ships, and missile systems in response.
In July, Taiwan tracked 437 Chinese military aircraft active east of the median line in the Taiwan Strait. This marked the second-highest monthly figure recorded, just behind August 2022’s peak of 446 aircraft.