• China and Japan accuse each other of airspace violations over disputed islands.
• Japan protests after a Chinese helicopter allegedly violated its airspace.
• China claims Japanese civilian aircraft entered its airspace, prompting military action.
• Incidents underscore ongoing tensions over the East China Sea islands.
• Japan scrambled fighter jets in response to the airspace violations.

China and Japan engaged in a heated exchange on Saturday, accusing each other of violating their respective territorial airspace over the disputed isles in the East China Sea. Japan formally lodged a strong protest with Beijing, claiming that a Chinese helicopter launched from a coast guard vessel intruded into its airspace for approximately 15 minutes. This prompted the Japanese Self-Defence Force to scramble fighter jets in response, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry’s statement and multiple media reports aa and trtglobal.

In retaliation, China's Coast Guard claimed that a Japanese civilian aircraft "illegally entered" its airspace, prompting their forces to dispatch a helicopter to expel the aircraft. Spokesman Liu Dejun stated that such actions would be met with firm measures to maintain China’s sovereignty and maritime rights channelnewsasia and indiatimes.

The area surrounding the islands known as the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China has always been a flashpoint for tensions. China had reportedly intensified its patrol activities in these contested waters, with recent incidents highlighting the fragile nature of the relationship. In addition to the air incursions, Japan said that four Chinese coast guard vessels had intruded into its territorial waters, further escalating the situation scmp and indiatimes.