The Japanese defense ministry said on Sept. 17 that Chinese unmanned aerial vehicles found flying over the disputed Diaoyutai (Diaoyu or Senkaku) islands in the East China Sea will be shot down by the country’s Self-Defense Forces, reports the Tokyo-based Nippon Hoso Kyokai.
An unidentified drone was spotted over the contested waters of the East China Sea on Sept. 9, the ministry said. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force scrambled fighters to intercept the unmanned aerial vehicle, and it was reported that the object was either a Wing Loong drone — a product of the Beijing-based Aviation Industry Corporation of China — or another reconnaissance drone operated by the PLA.
The Japanese defense ministry announced it plans to follow new rules of engagement under which drones will be shot down if they are deemed a threat to Japan’s national security.
Full article: Japan will shoot down PLA drones if necessary: defense ministry (Want China Times)
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