Tokyo, July 26: Japan’s top government spokesperson on Friday termed it “regrettable” that fighter jets were scrambled after a South Korean military aircraft entered the Japanese air defence identification zone without any notice earlier this month.While addressing a press conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi stated that the government has urged South Korea to take steps to stop similar incidents in future, while terming Seoul an “important partner” with which Tokyo will continue to “closely collaborate,” Japan-based news agency Kyodo News reported.
Meanwhile, South Korea’s military said on Thursday that South Korean transport aircraft for a brief time entered Japan’s air defence identification zone earlier this month, forcing Japan to scramble a fighter jet in response, Yonhap News Agency reported. The C-130 aircraft was heading to Guam for military exercise when it was forced to divert towards Kadena Air Base in Okinawa due to severe weather conditions.
According to the South Korea military, the aircraft was unable to properly convey regarding the diversion to Japanese authorities, which prompted Japan’s Air Self-Defence Force to scramble fighter jets. After South Korean officials communicated about the reason behind the diversion, the transport plane was allowed to make an emergency landing to refuel at Kadena Air Base before resuming its journey to Guam. South Korea’s defence military has initiated a probe into the incident.
Earlier on July 10, South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Admiral Kim Myung-soo held talks with chief of the Japanese defence ministry’s Joint Staff, General Yoshihide Yoshida, chief of the Japanese defence ministry’s Joint Staff at the JCS’ headquarters in Seoul. Yoshida was on a visit to South Korea to meet with his counterparts from Japan and the US.
Admiral Kim Myung-soo also held a trilateral meeting with his Japanese counterpart Admiral Kim Myung-soo and the US counterpart General Dan Caine. During the meeting, the US’ top military officer emphasised the importance of security cooperation between three nations to re-establish deterrence against an “unprecedented” military buildup by North Korea and China. General Caine said, “Our focus in the United States remains on reestablishing deterrence and doing so needs and requires the trilateral cooperation between our three countries.”
He stated, “The DPRK and China are undergoing an unprecedented military buildup with a clear and unambiguous intent to move forward with their own agendas.” He stressed that US, South Korea and Japan “need to be mindful of that” and be able to demonstrate resolve and remain entrepreneurial and proactive in partnerships.