13 Dec 2012

China accused of intrusion over disputed islands

9:58 pm on 13 December 2012

Japan has accused China of violating its airspace for the first time after a Chinese plane flew near disputed East China Sea islands.

Fighter jets were scrambled when the Chinese Oceanic Administration plane was observed about 11am (local time) on Thursday, government spokesman Osamu Fujimura said.

Japan lodged an immediate protest with Beijing, he said.

The islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, have been a long-standing source of tension, the BBC reports.

Mr Fujimura called the incident "extremely deplorable", saying it followed a report from the Japanese coast guard that Chinese surveillance ships were seen in waters near the islands earlier in the day.

However, Hong Lei, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson said during a regular news briefing that the plane's flight was "completely normal".

The ministry also said that Japan should stop entering the sea and airspace near the disputed islands.

Japan controls the islands, which are also claimed by Taiwan. Close to strategically important shipping lanes, the waters around the islands also offer rich fishing grounds and are thought to contain oil deposits.