Japan's defense ministry is considering loosening standards for the self-defense forces to use weapons in order to respond to foreign unmanned aerial vehicles.

The picture shows the Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-15 fighter jet.

(AFP)

[Instant News/Comprehensive Report] The Chinese spy balloon was shot down earlier this month because it broke into the U.S. airspace. Washington also warned that China's "balloon fleet" is infringing on the sovereignty of many countries on five continents. Countries have released information on unidentified reconnaissance balloon sightings. international attention.

The Japanese government revealed today (15th) that the Ministry of Defense is studying relaxing the standards for the use of weapons so that the Self-Defense Forces can shoot down unreported foreign aircraft if they are found.

According to a href="https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOUA150KX0V10C23A2000000/" target="_blank">"Nihon Keizai Shimbun" report, the Ministry of Defense of Japan issued a statement on the evening of the 14th pointing out that in recent years at least 3 times in Japanese airspace Balloon-type UFOs were discovered, including in November 2019 in SatsumaSendai City, Kagoshima Prefecture, in June 2020 in Sendai City in Miyagi Prefecture, and in September 2021 in the sky over Hachinohe City in Aomori Prefecture. It is strongly suspected that they were all unmanned in China High-altitude balloons have sparked heated discussions in Japanese society.

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Article 84 of Japan's "Self-Defense Forces Law" stipulates that foreign aircraft entering Japan's airspace without permission violates international law, and the Self-Defense Forces can take "necessary measures" to force the opponent to land or leave the airspace, but only when the opponent launches an attack or internal emergency evacuation is necessary. , the Self-Defense Forces can open fire.

In this regard, Minoru Kihara, director of the Liberal Democratic Party's Security Investigation Committee, revealed at the "Joint Meeting of the Defense Committee" within the party today that the Ministry of Defense is re-examining the relevant regulations and considering relaxing the standards for the use of weapons by the Self-Defense Forces, so that foreign suspicious Unmanned detectors shot down to avoid information leakage.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroichi Matsuno also reiterated at the meeting that Japan is working closely with its allies and like-minded countries to collect relevant information, warn and monitor unmanned reconnaissance aircraft.