Japan Says Chinese Military Drone Spotted Near Okinawa

Japan’s Defense Ministry said it spotted a Chinese military drone near the Japanese islands of Okinawa and Miyakojima on New Year’s Day.

(Bloomberg) — Japan’s Defense Ministry said it spotted a Chinese military drone near the Japanese islands of Okinawa and Miyakojima on New Year’s Day.

The unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, which the ministry identified as a WZ-7 drone, flew from the East China Sea toward the Pacific Ocean before circling back and heading west, the ministry said in a statement late Sunday. 

The aircraft didn’t enter Japanese airspace, according to the statement. China’s foreign ministry didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday, a local holiday.

 

–With assistance from Jing Li.

(Updates with attempt to contact China’s foreign ministry.)

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