News Report: Tokyo Concerned Over Chinese Bombers Patrolling Japanese Border

Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said Friday his country had voiced concern to Beijing after chasing away six Chinese bombers from its southern frontiers.

TOKYO (Sputnik) — Despite there was no violation of the international law, Japanese authorities were "analyzing motives" of the Chinese side sending jets to the region, the Kyodo news agency reported quoting the minister.

China's H-6 medium-range bombers flew between the islands of Okinawa and Miyakojima and approached the Kii peninsula in the south of of Honshu. This was the first time they followed that route, according to Onodera.

Japanese fighter jets were scrambled to intercept the planes although they did not intrude into the Japanese airspace. Tokyo's response was handed over diplomatic channels and there was no official note of protest.

News Story: China on its air drills near Japan - Don't 'make a fuss about nothing'

Chinese Air Force H-6 Bomber (File Photo)

By: Paige Williams

WASHINGTON — China flexed its air power muscles last week near Japan and Taiwan in multiple exercises designed to hone its ability to operate over the sea, according to Reuters. 

On its official microblog, the Chinese Air Force said its aircraft flew through the Miyako Strait, near Japan, and through the Bashi Channel, which lies between independently ruled Taiwan and the Philippines. 

Japan’s Ministry of Defense released a response on Thursday after six Xian H-6 bombers flew through the Miyako Strait, calling the incident “unusual” but not a violation of their airspace. 

The Miyako Strait lies between Japan's southern islands of Miyako and Okinawa, northeast of Taiwan. 

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Report: China Says Japan Should ‘Get Used To’ Bombers Buzzing Their Airspace

After a half-dozen Chinese warplanes buzzed two of the southernmost islands of the Japanese archipelago, the Chinese Defense Ministry told Japan that they ought to “get used to” military exercises on the edges of their territory.

The Xian H-6K bombers flew over the Miyako Strait, which separates the islands of Miyako and Okinawa. The Japanese scrambled fighter jets and protested Chinese warplanes mere miles away from the strategically significant Okinawa Island, but the Chinese noted that they didn't violate Japanese airspace.

The Defense Ministry added that it was "legal and proper" for their military aircraft to operate in neutral airspace, and they would regularly conduct training exercises close to Japanese islands according to "mission requirements."

"The relevant side should not make a fuss about nothing or over-interpret, it will be fine once they get used to it," the ministry's statement concluded.

News Report: Chinese Navy Holds Routine Drills in Western Pacific

The Chinese Navy ships have sailed through the Miyako Strait that lies between the two Japanese islands of Miyako and Okinawa as a part of routine exercises, local media reported.

BEIJING (Sputnik) — The Chinese Navy conducted a routine exercise in the Western Pacific on Thursday to drill rescue operation and increase capabilities, according to reports.

The ships sailed through the Miyako Strait that lies between the two Japanese islands of Miyako and Okinawa, the Xinhua news agency reported.

The outlet said exercises were purely peaceful in nature and aimed at training communication, search-and-rescue action and anti-piracy operation.

The drills come days after China launched its second aircraft carrier this Wednesday. It will reportedly enter service by 2020, augmenting the Navy’s capacity to operate far from home.

This story first appeared on Sputnik & is reposted here with permission.

News Story: Taiwan alert on Chinese warships, bombers in West Pacific

Taiwan is on alert while monitoring Chinese jets and warships which carried out exercises near Taiwan and into the Western Pacific on Thursday, defense ministry said.

Earlier, jet fighters, bomber planes and early warning aircraft had flown through the Miyako Strait, between the southern Japanese islands of Miyako and Okinawa and to the northeast of Taiwan, and into the Pacific, Xinhua news agency said.

They then carried out drills with Chinese warships in the area to improve inter-operability between the two services, Xinhua said.

“This exercise is part of annual plans for the navy, is not aimed at a specific country or target, and accords with relevant international laws and norms,” it added in a brief report.

Read the full story at Tankler

News Story: Japan scrambles fighters as Chinese planes fly through Miyako Strait

TOKYO/BEIJING (Kyodo) -- Japan scrambled fighter jets from its Air Self-Defense Force on Thursday after a total of 13 airplanes were spotted flying through the Miyako Strait between Japan's southern islands of Okinawa and Miyako, the Defense Ministry said.

It was the largest number of foreign planes Japan has scrambled jets for since 2003 when data became available, according to the ministry.

Chinese aircraft flew on the route for the first time since last Dec. 10 but they did not violate Japanese airspace, it said.

China's Xinhua News Agency said the numerous aircraft involved in the exercise linked up with a Chinese naval fleet in the western Pacific.

Read the full story at The Mainichi

News Report: Beijing Sortie Through South China Sea Scares Taiwan; Japan Scrambles Jets

A PLAAF H-6 Bomber (File Photo)

Chinese aircraft and seagoing vessels have increased the level of military operations being conducted near Taiwan in recent days, prompting the self-governing island to warn the world of a growing Chinese threat. Japanese jets have also scrambled to observe Chinese maritime military movements.

Beijing has never excluded the possibility of taking military action to recoup what it considers to be a rogue province. On Tuesday, Taiwan deployed anti-aircraft missiles while promising to step up military patrols to offset China’s expanding defensive and offensive military abilities, RT reported. 

“Looking ahead at the transformation of China’s strategy and its investment in new weapons equipment, our military will practice new reforms in our training,” Taiwanese defense minister Feng Shih-kuan said during an address to parliament.