Japanese Government: "Chinese Reconnaissance Balloons Detected Four Times Since 2019... Will Respond with Missiles"

"If Found Again, F-15 Fighter Jets Will Be Deployed"
Strong Protest from China... "Urging Prevention of Recurrence"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jin-young] The Japanese government has officially protested to the Chinese government and urged it to prevent recurrence, stating that Chinese reconnaissance balloons have been discovered four times in Japan since 2019. The Japanese government also announced a tough response, warning that if reconnaissance balloons fly again, they will be shot down with air-to-air missiles.

According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) on the 15th, the Japanese Ministry of Defense announced at a press conference last night that Chinese reconnaissance balloons have intruded into Japanese airspace four times from 2019 to January of last year. The Ministry of Defense stated, "The balloon-shaped flying objects confirmed within Japanese airspace from 2019 to 2021 are strongly presumed to be Chinese unmanned reconnaissance balloons."

The image of a Chinese reconnaissance balloon shot down by a U.S. Air Force F-22 fighter jet on the 4th at Surfside Beach, South Carolina. Surfside = Reuters·Yonhap News

Until the day before, the Ministry of Defense had consistently remained silent, citing concerns that revealing information collection capabilities and surveillance posture could be problematic, but it has now significantly changed its stance. The Ministry of Defense protested to the Chinese government, saying, "Airspace intrusion by foreign unmanned reconnaissance balloons, etc., is absolutely unacceptable," and emphasized, "We urge confirmation of the facts and prevention of recurrence."

The balloons presumed to have been launched by China and confirmed over Kagoshima Prefecture in November 2019, Miyagi Prefecture in June 2020, and Aomori Prefecture in September 2021. Additionally, the Ministry of Defense is analyzing an unidentified object discovered over Kyushu in January last year, considering it highly likely to be a Chinese reconnaissance balloon.

According to Ministry of Defense officials, the object flew from the East China Sea to the airspace west of Kyushu, and when a Self-Defense Force aircraft tracked and photographed it, it was balloon-shaped, similar to the one shot down in the United States.

Japan plans to strongly respond to reconnaissance balloons by mobilizing military forces such as the Self-Defense Forces. Defense Minister Hamada Yasukazu emphasized, "If a reconnaissance balloon flies in, the Self-Defense Force fighter jets plan to shoot it down by firing air-to-air missiles."

Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada holds a press conference on the 14th. (Photo by Japan Ministry of Defense)

Nikkei reported, "According to Article 84 of the Self-Defense Forces Act, if a balloon or other flying object flies over Japanese airspace and intrudes, police authority can be exercised," and added, "If a reconnaissance balloon is discovered afterward, it is expected to be dealt with by the F-15, the main fighter jet of the Air Self-Defense Force."

Meanwhile, according to The Washington Post (WP), reconnaissance balloons have been found worldwide, including the United States, Southeast Asia, Europe, and South America, based in Hainan Province, China, and appear to have continuously collected military information.

WP reported on the 8th, citing multiple U.S. officials, that reconnaissance balloons are operated from Hainan Province, China, and have collected military intelligence on Japan, Taiwan, India, Vietnam, the Philippines, and others. It also stated that the reconnaissance balloons are equipped with optical sensors, digital cameras, satellite communications, and while it is difficult to obtain more detailed information than satellites, they have the advantage of being able to remain in the same airspace for extended periods.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.