TOKYO — Japan scrambled fighter jets Monday after an unidentified drone flew near Tokyo-controlled islands at the center of a bitter dispute with China, a defense ministry spokesman said.
It was the first reported incident of its kind.
Japan’s Air Self-Defence Force sent an unspecified number of jets to the area, the official said.
The drones did not enter Japanese airspace, the official said.
A second Japanese defense ministry official said the nationality of the drone was not clear, but added that it came from the northwest and was last seen flying back in that direction.
China does have drones but when asked about the incident, foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said: “I am not aware of the situation.”
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