Japan protests to China about fighter jet incidents in disputed territory in East China Sea

Japan accuses China of "dangerous" manoeuvres claiming two fighter jets flew within metres of Japanese military aircraft above the disputed territory in East China Sea.Japan's Defence Ministry says one Chinese SU-27 jet flew within metres of a Japanese OP-3C surveillance plane and another close to a Japanese YS-11EB plane.A spokesman said the Chinese fighter jets flew as close as 30 metres in one instance and 50 metres in the other.

Kyodo news agency says the Japanese aircraft were monitoring a joint naval drill by China and Russia in the northern East China Sea near Japanese territorial waters.The incidents took place near where the countries' air defence identification zones overlap.The incidents come as relations between Japan and China are strained by a territorial dispute over Tokyo-controlled islands in the East China Sea.
"They were dangerous acts that could lead to an accident," Japanese defence minister Itsunori Onodera said.

"The Japanese crew reported that the fighters were flying with missiles, which raised the tension as they handled the situation."I consider the [Chinese fighters] acted out of rule."Mr Onodera said Tokyo had protested to Beijing over the incidents through diplomatic channels.Japanese newspaper The Asahi Shimbun said the Chinese fighters did not enter the Japanese zone.Chinese state-owned ships and aircraft have regularly approached the Senkaku islands, which China also claims and calls the Diaoyus, to demonstrate Beijing's territorial claims in the East China Sea.Beijing raised regional tensions in November when it declared an air defence identification zone covering the area, which overlaps a similar Japanese zone.