UK Accuses Japan of Escalating Air, Maritime Tensions

China’s Ministry of National Defense has strongly criticized Japan’s military reconnaissance operations, accusing Tokyo of exacerbating maritime and airspace security risks in the East China Sea.

In an official statement released on Sunday, ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin asserted that the surveillance activities carried out by Japanese naval vessels and military aircraft were the primary drivers of growing tensions between the two nations.

According to Jiang, Japan’s close-in reconnaissance operations have repeatedly intruded into China’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), prompting immediate and lawful responses by Chinese forces.

Jiang confirmed that the Chinese military recently intercepted several Japanese reconnaissance aircraft operating near Chinese airspace. He emphasized that all actions taken by China’s armed forces were legal, justified, and executed in a professional and standardized manner.