World · East Asia & Pacific · 7 hrs ago
China’s WZ-7 drone flies through Miyako Strait; Japan scrambles fighters
A Chinese WZ-7 surveillance drone crossed the Miyako Strait twice on November 2, flying between Japan’s Okinawa main island and Miyako Island.
Japan’s Defence Ministry said the drone flew out over the Pacific and later returned toward China, and that the Air Self-Defense Force scrambled fighter jets in response.
The WZ-7 is a high-altitude drone built for long surveillance flights, and Chinese state media say it can operate at about 20,000 metres and remain in the air for 10 to 12 hours.
China said the flights were normal military activity, while Chinese commentators argued the drone’s altitude gives it an advantage over Japanese fighters.
The flights took place as China’s aircraft carrier Liaoning and its accompanying ships were conducting training in the western Pacific.
Japan and other regional governments are watching China’s military activity, but China says the training is routine and not aimed at any particular country; no further response was specified.
A Chinese WZ-7 high-altitude reconnaissance drone flew through the Miyako Strait twice on November 2, prompting Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force to scramble fighter jets.
Japan said the drone crossed between Okinawa’s main island and Miyakojima, flew south of the islands over the Pacific, then returned through the strait toward the mainland.
China’s state-run Global Times described the flights as normal and said the strait is an important route for access to the western Pacific.
Chinese commentators cited the drone’s high operating ceiling to argue that it can conduct reconnaissance above the altitude of Japanese fighters.
The flights took place as China’s Liaoning carrier group conducted training in the western Pacific.
- Who
- A Chinese WZ-7 reconnaissance drone and Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force.
- What
- The drone flew through the Miyako Strait twice, and Japan scrambled fighter jets in response.
- When
- November 2, 2026.
- Where
- The Miyako Strait, between Okinawa’s main island and Miyakojima, near Japan.
- Why
- China called the flights normal military activity. A Chinese commentator said repeated flights may have been intended to maintain continuous maritime surveillance.
Japan
China
Flights and response
Japan
Japan said the drone made similar flights twice and that its Air Self-Defense Force scrambled fighters.
China
China’s state-run Global Times said the drone’s passage through the strait was completely normal.
High-altitude capability
Japan
Japan did not disclose the drone’s actual flight altitude or the fighter type.
China
Chinese commentators argued the WZ-7 can fly higher than Japanese fighters and claimed this gives China an advantage in surveillance.
China conducted more than 40 days of exercises in the South China Sea and western Pacific.
China’s navy announced that the Liaoning carrier group would conduct training in the western Pacific.
A Chinese 052D destroyer and a fast combat support ship passed through the Miyako Strait toward the East China Sea, according to Japan’s Defence Ministry.
Japan said a WZ-7 flew through the strait in the morning and made a similar flight in the afternoon; the Air Self-Defense Force scrambled fighters.
Chinese state-run media described the drone flights through the strait as normal.
- Drone
- Chinese WZ-7 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft
- Flights
- Two similar passages through the Miyako Strait on November 2
- Response
- Japan scrambled Air Self-Defense Force fighters
- WZ-7 ceiling
- About 20,000 metres, according to Chinese state-run media
- Aircraft dimensions
- 14 metres long; 22.8-metre wingspan
- Carrier group
- China’s Liaoning carrier group was training in the western Pacific
3 sources
What people are saying
the Chinese drone's flight through the strait is completely normal
This shows that China's air and sea superiority in the waters is being rapidly established
the purpose may have been to carry out maritime surveillance without interruption