Japan steps up air surveillance amid Chinese reconnaissance activity

Japanese fighter jets were scrambled to intercept Chinese reconnaissance aircraft flying over disputed waters in the East China Sea, according to Japan's Joint Staff Office.

Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance aircraft were detected the previous day off the coasts of Nagasaki and Okinawa prefectures in southern Japan. In response, fighters from the Air Self-Defense Force (JSDF) were scrambled to conduct an interception in the area, Caliber.Az reports.

From Sep. 4 to 6, the JASDF’s fighters scrambled to cope with a suspected intrusion into Japan’s airspace over the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhotsk, the Pacific Ocean and the East China Sea.#JASDF #F15 pic.twitter.com/h9MWiH429M

— Japan Joint Staff (@JapanJointStaff) September 7, 2026

The Joint Staff Office said the Y-9 aircraft operating off Okinawa changed course and headed northeast before altering their route again south of the Danjo Islands and flying toward mainland China.

“JSDF continues to responding to protect our territory and peace for the people of Japan 24/7,” the Japanese side noted.

Disputes over islands, continental shelf boundaries, air defence identification zones, as well as oil and natural gas exploration and production areas in the East China Sea periodically cause tensions between China, Japan and South Korea.

By Jeyhun Aghazada