Japan scrambles jets for drone near disputed islands

Russia gave China the Lavochkin La-17C (UAV) back in the late fifties and China has been reverse engineering them for more than half a century. At present China has over 280 drones. Right now China is in the final stages of development of the stealth drone.

I hope China quits this nonsense by 2020. It's gotten old.

This tactic is actually quite aggressive, it is one that puts a strain on defense, and causes a higher state of antagonistic posturing on both sides. The Chinese are flexing their "I can do as I please attitude”, and the Japanese keep scrambling their F-15’s is a show of preparedness! The Chinese are looking for a provocations, those dogs just won’t stop! The Japanese Self Defense fore is well trained, and well disciplined, the Chinese just skirt the Islands most of the time, and therefore are free of a formal protest which Japan so desperately needs to push back the overt measures China has instituted to ultimately look for Japan to concede a partnership of the natural resources China has its eye on, as it is no secret they are gobbling up everything in sight both is Asia like Viet Nam, the Philippines, their intrusion into India and now it is looking towards Africa as their new target of opportunity! Can’t do much though as they sit on the UN Security Council.

Someone is testing Japan's radar ability

Bertie if it was a US drone, there would be no news. If it was a Western European drone, there would be no news. If it was Russian and Friends, a story would be made really quick to cover, so there would be no news. Because it can be perceived as Chinese or South Korean, but not definitely, it's Unidentified. It's like passing notes in class; forget your friends, cover your neutrals, report your rivals. And always remember; most house's have windows, and you learn so much more looking through a window than stepping inside a house.

Seems like intends to antagonize until Japan makes the first mistake.

wow a direct insult....my first, ever. I think? I can't definitely confirm this, so I'm going to say it's placement is unidentified.

Anyways, why would South Korea (or anyone else), get involved with a Chinese/ Japanese struggle for resources. Quite simple, because if you can get away with it, you can make a lot of money. Call it proof of concept.

Well, I guess that was China's way of saying Congratulations on winning the 2020 Games...

Japanese Jet can shoot down the Drone if it's entered into Japanese Air Space.

a kind of joint drill between China-Japan.

One thing different with these provocations compared to other countries is the frequency. Many countries choose to test the neighbors preparedness every now and then by a slight "misguiding". Look at Russia who is quite provocative towards their neighbors. Maybe it is a good way of testing new equipment and train pilots to react to electronic signatures. Is the drone a cheaper way of probing the seabed?

What did they chase it with? An Osprey? No markings on the drone? No cameras on the Japanese jets to record what the pilots saw? No ID from previous spy photos? If it were a USA drone, so much for the sharing of information. Down the tube!

Well the reason Japan reacts to anything coming near the islands is the fact that the islands ownership are indeed disputed from the Chinese side. Japan is in control and whants to keep it that way, at least until China offers something worth considering. So far the arguments presented are only pseudo-historian "always" belonged to China before. I think Japan has to keep showing a resolute response in order to not give them the chance of a take over like in the south china sea.

Well both China and Japan claim the islands.

Good to hear some fresh news ;)

Shoot it down and the culprit will emerge.

Some people still think that nationalizing the islands by J govt was not a big deal. It is a big deal when the status quo has been changed. For forty years China had kept the islands issue under the lid thinking that Japan would be trustworthy enough to keep its words but apparently not. And, even seventy years before China opened up its border, China had kept quiet with the understanding that the ownership of the islands had reverted back according to the post-war Declarations. The whole world knows that Japan only has the “administrative” rights to the islands not “sovereignty,” even the US realizes that Japan does not have the ownership of the islands otherwise it would have said so just like in the case of the islands dispute with Russia. By nationalizing the islands Japan intended to strengthen its position in order to assert sovereignty and it also helped J govt manipulate its political games in order to get back into power. If you noticed the period before the elections J govt had smeared and bad-mouthed China in every turn, but now after it got the power back we only heard about wanting to have a dialogue with China. Even a five minutes talk was big news. Sincerity is hard to come by in j govt, no wonder China just said the meeting was not supposed to be just for a hand shake and photo opp. With all the increases military spending and the plans to defend the islands, nothing changes the facts that the islands belong to China and China can get in and out of the area as it pleases. So far we all know that Japan can’t do anything about that and China has every right to do it.

What an enormous waste of time and resources for Japan to keep doing this.....

That's probably what China is banking on.

Flying "near" someone's air space, i.e. in international airspace, does not require any response. Incursions do, but a propeller plane 100kms from a country's airspace just deserves to be ignored. Japan wastes so much money on this. If there are incursions, do something, if not, save the fuel.

SentimentsSEP. 09, 2013 - 09:48PM JST One thing different with these provocations compared to other countries is the frequency. Many countries choose to test the neighbors preparedness every now and then by a slight "misguiding". Look at Russia who is quite provocative towards their neighbors. Maybe it is a good way of testing new equipment and train pilots to react to electronic signatures. Is the drone a cheaper way of probing the seabed?

Actually, China is making incursions in order to build a case that they are "administrating" the island. Surveys and the like are necessary in order to indicate administration. Administration of a territory is the minimum a nation needs to do in order to build a case for ownership under international law. You'll notice that all planes and ships heretofore have been under the auspices of Chinese government agencies (Fishieries, etc.), not the PLA.

What a sad waste of resources which could be devoted towards productive things. I understand Japans need to respond, but the antagonist in matters like these is just plain ridiculous.

Where's Astro Boy when ya need him?

@Bertie

True as ever, Old Boy. It was an UNIDENTIFIED drone. That flies. And is an object. Y,know...

A UFO!!!

Obviously it's a US drone.

Oh wait, they don't care about those islands.

But who does?

Next time no need to send Air Fighters, just send missiles.

if they shoot it down, and recover the pieces , it would probably say , Made in China,

I think most of the readers here now about the details around Senkakus history. No point in repeating it. Japan has the rights as it is. Personally I think a joint exploration is better but the parties need to try to meet each other with respect. If China thinks they can dictate the terms I think they will find it is a lost possibility.

The drone, according to the article above was UNIDENTIFIED.

Why do so many people claim it's Chinese?

If it's in international airspace there's nothing to be done.

If it's unmanned and it's in Japanese airspace I agree that missiles are enough.

Maybe Japan needs to build an airbase? Unfortunately the Sennkaku aren't big enough.....

Article states: "flew about 100 kilometers from airspace around the islands"

Article speaks for itself. Japan admitted that this drone UFO was in international waters far away from any Japanese territory.

@Sentiments

The solution to the competing claims emerged in 2008, when Japan and China almost reached a principled consensus on joint development of an area that includes the potentially gas-rich Chunxiao/Shirakaba field. If Japan has definite ownership without doubt, why did Japan offer to explore resources jointly with China? Sounds like a big concession by Japan if you ask me. If Japan owns it, they didn't need to ask China. It shows Japan has a weak claim and they know it.

Look at the positive, if the dragons keep this up, we're going to have global regulations on drones really quick. The number 2 and 3 economies going into tech driven war will bring about regulation faster than a superpower entering a combat zone.

Seems someone's a little jealous over Japan winning the Olympics!

isoducky: "Because it can be perceived as Chinese or South Korean"

Why would South Korea, whose bases are more important and strategic to the US than the Japanese bases, fly a drone over the disputed islands with China? A South Korean drone IS a US drone! Credibility, meet toilet.

sfjp330Sep. 10, 2013 - 04:29AM JST The solution to the competing claims emerged in 2008, when Japan and China almost reached a principled >consensus on joint development of an area that includes the potentially gas-rich Chunxiao/Shirakaba field. If Japan >has definite ownership without doubt, why did Japan offer to explore resources jointly with China? Sounds like a big >concession by Japan if you ask me. If Japan owns it, they didn't need to ask China. It shows Japan has a weak claim >and they know it.

Obviously China felt they had a weak claim. Why else would they agree to share it with Japan?

Well, they didn't entered in the Japanese aerospace, so nothing to worry yet.

Did the drone fly in Japanese airspace? no? Then what's the problem? Last I heard international airspace meant international.

Well both China and Japan claim the islands. So what's the fuss all about? Both countries have the right to send their planes and ships to around the area. If China does not act, then surely Japan will claim that the islands belong to them. If you reverse the roles, surely Japan will do the same! We in SE Asia are happy that China can keep Japan in check, otherwise who knows what will happen again?

What an enormous waste of time and resources for Japan to keep doing this.....