Japan says warplanes scrambled as Chinese language drone detected close to southern island near Taiwan

Tokyo — Japan stated Monday that it had scrambled plane after detecting a suspected Chinese language drone close to its southern island of Yonaguni, which is near Taiwan, on Saturday, as stress between the Asian adversaries spiked.

On Sunday, Chinese language coast guard vessels spent a number of hours in Japan’s territorial waters across the disputed Senkaku Islands, often known as the Diaoyu in China and a frequent flashpoint, Japanese Chief Cupboard Secretary Minoru Kihara stated.

The incidents got here amid escalating stress between the neighbors over remarks by Japan’s staunchly conservative new chief, who steered Tokyo might intervene militarily in any hypothetical Chinese language assault on Taiwan.

Mainland China and territory managed by the Chinese language authorities is proven in yellow, whereas territory claimed by, however uncontrolled by Beijing, together with Taiwan, is depicted in brown on this map.

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Beijing insists Taiwan — which Japan occupied for many years till its 1945 defeat in World Conflict II — is a part of its territory, and the prime minister’s feedback have sparked outrage amongst Chinese language officers.

Japanese chief’s controversial remarks about China and Taiwan

Earlier than taking energy final month, Prime Minister Senae Takaichi, 64, was a vocal critic of China and its army build-up within the Asia-Pacific.

If a Taiwan emergency entails “battleships and the use of force, then that could constitute a situation threatening the survival (of Japan),” she advised parliament on November 7. Below Japan’s self-imposed home guidelines, an existential menace is likely one of the few circumstances the place it may act militarily. Taiwan sits round 60 miles from the closest Japanese island.

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi solutions a query throughout a session of the Home of Councillors Price range Committee on the Nationwide Eating regimen (parliament) in Tokyo, Nov. 12, 2025.

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In response to Takaichi’s remarks, a Chinese language diplomat stationed in Japan threatened to “cut off that dirty neck,” apparently referring to Takaichi, as China and Japan summoned one another’s ambassadors.

In Beijing, tech employee Daniel Feng known as the Chinese language authorities’s responses “very restrained” given Takaichi’s “extremely unreasonable” remarks.

“If she spouts words, that’s not a problem … but if they take real action, our country’s military will definitely defeat them,” the 40-year-old advised AFP.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te known as on Beijing on Monday to “show restraint, act like a major power, and not become the troublemaker” within the Asia-Pacific area, the place peace and stability have been “severely impacted.”

“China should return to the path of a rules-based international order, which would help maintain peace, stability and prosperity in the region,” Lai advised reporters.

Beijing, in the meantime, stated Chinese language premier Li Qiang had no plans to satisfy with Takaichi on the G20 summit in South Africa later this week, which they’re each set to attend.

A Japanese authorities official advised AFP that Masaaki Kanai, the highest international ministry official for Asia-Pacific affairs, arrived in China on Monday.

“We are trying not to escalate the situation,” the official advised AFP.

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Beijing additionally suggested its residents over the weekend to keep away from travelling to Japan, and warned the roughly 100,000 Chinese language college students within the nation that there have been alleged dangers to their security.

Cupboard chief Kihara advised reporters on Monday that the bulletins have been “incompatible with the broader direction agreed upon by the leaders of the two nations.”

Japanese tourism and retail shares dived on Monday after China urged its residents to keep away from the neighboring nation’s vacationer hotspots.

Asia’s two high economies are carefully entwined, with China the largest supply of vacationers — virtually 7.5 million guests within the first 9 months of 2025 — coming to Japan.

Drawn by a weak yen making buying cheaper, they collectively splurged greater than a billion {dollars} a month within the third quarter, accounting for nearly 30% of all vacationer spending.

A Chinese language tour group walks previous a Shiseido retailer in Tokyo, Nov. 17, 2025.

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Japan was additionally the fourth-most widespread vacation spot for Chinese language vacationers final yr, serving to the land of Mount Fuji, sushi and geishas set new data for international arrivals. However in fears that this may occasionally now cease, buyers wiped 9% off Japanese cosmetics agency Shiseido’s market worth on Monday.

Division retailer group Mitsukoshi fell 11.3% and Pan Pacific, behind low cost retail chain and vacationer magnet Don Quijote, slid 5.3%.

Japan Airways, whose shares nosedived 3.4%, has not seen any main cancellations on flights to and from China, a spokesperson advised AFP.