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| Image: Japan’s Ministry of Defense |
Tokyo, January 7 - Japan's Ministry of Defense has confirmed that multiple Chinese military aircraft, including H-6 bombers, J-16 fighters, and Y-9 intelligence-gathering planes, transited through the strategic airspace corridor between Okinawa's main island and Miyako Island on December 29, 2025. This flight path, often referred to as the Okinawa corridor or Miyako Strait, allowed the formation to move from the East China Sea into the western Pacific Ocean. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force promptly scrambled fighter jets to conduct identification, monitoring, and surveillance operations in response to the Chinese aircraft activity near Okinawa.
The incident involved a group of eight Chinese People's Liberation Army aircraft that passed through the international airspace without entering Japanese territorial boundaries. Japanese authorities released detailed flight tracks and images of the aircraft types, highlighting the coordinated nature of the transit. No airspace violations were recorded, but the event underscored the frequent use of this key corridor by Chinese forces for accessing broader Pacific operational areas. Defense officials emphasized that such movements are closely watched due to their implications for regional security and military posture in the vicinity of Okinawa.
This latest confirmation of Chinese aircraft flying through the Okinawa corridor aligns with a pattern of increased activity in the area, prompting heightened vigilance from Japan's Self-Defense Forces. The Miyako Strait serves as a critical gateway in the First Island Chain, enabling rapid deployments beyond coastal waters. Japanese fighters maintained visual and electronic oversight throughout the transit to ensure no threats materialized.
As tensions in the Indo-Pacific persist, incidents involving Chinese military aircraft near Okinawa continue to draw attention to evolving defense dynamics. Japan's Ministry of Defense remains committed to robust monitoring of such transits to safeguard national interests and maintain stability in surrounding waters. The December event reinforces the importance of sustained aerial readiness in response to these routine yet strategically significant flights through the Okinawa corridor.
