Japan Scrambles Jets Against China Near Disputed Islands

This file aerial shot taken on Sept 15, 2010, shows the disputed islands known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China in the East China Sea. Japan scrambled fighter jets on Thursday to head off a number of Chinese military planes near islands at the centre of a territorial dispute, Japanese media said. (AFP Photo)

Tokyo. Japan scrambled fighter jets on Thursday to head off a number of Chinese military planes near islands at the center of a territorial dispute, Japanese media said.

The Chinese planes were spotted on Japanese military radar north of the Japanese-controlled Senkaku islands, known as the Diaoyus in China, the Fuji TV network reported, quoting Japanese government officials.

They did not violate territorial airspace over the islands but flew inside Japan’s so-called air defense identification zone, the report said.

The Japanese defense ministry press office did not confirm the report.

Agence France-Presse