Three mysterious balloon-shaped flying objects were spotted inside the Japanese airspace in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
“As a result of further analysis of specific balloon-shaped flying objects that have been confirmed in Japan’s airspace in the past, including those in November 2019, June 2020 and September 2021, we have come to the conclusion that it is strongly presumed to be an unmanned reconnaissance balloon flown by China.” This is the first part of an official release published on Japan’s MOD website on Feb. 14, 2023 that adds:ย In response to this, we will request the Chinese government to confirm the facts regarding this matter through diplomatic channels and strongly request that such a situation not occur in the future.”
“If a balloon enters Japan’s airspace without permission, it constitutes an infringement of Japan’s airspace. We will strive to collect and monitor.”
A balloon-like object in the sky over northern Japan sparks debate on social media pic.twitter.com/MmDbHOaG2h
โ Reuters (@Reuters) June 17, 2020
Interestingly, the outcome of the Japanese analysis has been made public as the sightings of balloon-shaped objects have multiplied across the world, leading to a series of four shootdowns in the U.S. and an alert scramble that did not turn into a visual contact over Romania.
้ๅปใซๆฅๆฌใฎไธ็ฉบใง็ฎๆใใใๆฐ็ๅใฎ้ฃ่ก็ฉไฝ
้ฒ่ก็ใฏใไธญๅฝใ้ฃ่กใใใ็กไบบๅตๅฏ็จๆฐ็ใงใใใจๅผทใๆจๅฎใใใใใจ็บ่กจใใพใใ
โฝ2019ๅนด11ๆ ้นฟๅ
ๅณถ็่ฉๆฉๅทๅ
ๅธ
โฝ2020ๅนด6ๆ ไปๅฐๅธ
โฝ2021ๅนด9ๆ ้ๆฃฎ็ๅ
ซๆธๅธ
โฝ2022ๅนด1ๆ ไนๅท่ฅฟๆนใฎๅ
ฌๆตทไธ ใชใฉhttps://t.co/rMyWGxTZae
โ NHKใใฅใผใน (@nhk_news) February 15, 2023
The images shared by the Japanese MOD show balloons resembling the high altitude balloon, suspected to carry SIGINT equipment, that was eventually shot down on February 4, 2023, by an F-22 Raptor,. Three additional unidentified objects, later appearing to have been much smaller commercial or research balloons, were also spotted and shot down. The U.S. military hasn’t recovered the wreckage of the latter three ones, but the U.S. Department of Defense has released photos showing the transport of the recovered wreckage of the first, large, Chinese balloon. According to the US military, major sensors and parts of electronic equipment were also recovered.
The Chinese balloon carried โmultiple antennasโ capable of collecting signals intelligence, a senior State Department official said, and the balloon maker has proven ties to the Chinese military, according to a CNBC report by Abigail Williams.
“The official said that the U.S. is confident that the manufacturer of the balloon โhas a direct relationship with Chinaโs military and is an approved vendor of the [Peopleโs Liberation Army], according to information published in an official procurement portal for the PLA.โ
