Source : NEW INDIAN EXPRESS NEWS
Japan’s defence ministry said the helicopter flew within Japanese airspace for about 15 minutes on Saturday near the Senkaku islands.
“The Self-Defence Forces responded by scrambling fighter jets,” the ministry said.
Public broadcaster ‘NHK’ and other local media reported that this is the first time a Chinese government helicopter violated the Japanese airspace off the disputed islands.
China’s coast guard on Saturday announced it had used a helicopter to “expel” a Japanese aeroplane from airspace around the disputed islands.
Liu Dejun, a spokesperson for China’s coast guard, said a Japanese civilian aircraft “illegally entered” the airspace of the islands at 11:19 am (0219 GMT) and left five minutes later.
Beijing frequently announces it has driven Japanese vessels and aircraft away from the islands, but Japanese officials have told ‘AFP’ that Chinese authorities sometimes announce expulsions when none have occurred.
Unnamed Japanese officials told local media that Beijing was possibly reacting to a small Japanese civilian aircraft flying near the islands.
Chinese and Japanese patrol vessels in the East China Sea have routinely staged dangerous face-offs around disputed islands.
Tensions between China and other claimants to parts of the East and South China Seas have driven Japan to deepen ties with the Philippines and the United States.
SOURCE :- NEW INDIAN EXPRESS
