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US¡¦ newest marine
patrol aircraft arrive in Japan
Reuters, TOKYO
The US Navy¡¦s first advanced P-8 Poseidon patrol aircraft has arrived in Japan,
the start of a deployment that will upgrade the US¡¦ ability to hunt submarines
and other vessels in seas close to China as tension in the region mounts.
The deployment, planned before China last month established an air defense
identification zone covering islands controlled by Japan and claimed by Beijing
and Taiwan, includes six aircraft to be delivered to Kadena Air Force Base on
Okinawa this month.
The first arrived on Sunday, a spokesman for the US Navy said. The mission in
the waters west of Japan¡¦s main islands will be the new aircraft¡¦s first
anywhere.
The jet, built by Boeing Co based on its 737 passenger plane, has been built to
replace the aging propeller-powered Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion patrol aircraft,
which has been in service for 50 years.
Packed with the latest radar equipment and armed with torpedoes and anti-ship
missiles, the P-8 is able to fly farther and stay out on mission longer than the
P-3.
The arrival of the P-8 came a day before US Vice President Joe Biden is due to
arrive in Tokyo.
In related news, China¡¦s envoy to the Philippines yesterday said her country has
a sovereign right to establish a maritime air defense zone over the East China
Sea and replicate it over another disputed region.
Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing (°¨§Jë) defended Beijing¡¦s decision to establish the
zone in an area between China, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan.
Neighboring countries say they will not honor the new zone, believed to be aimed
at claiming disputed territory.
When asked about concerns that China might set up a similar zone over the
disputed South China Sea, which is also claimed by the Philippines, Ma said it
was within the Chinese government¡¦s right to decide where and when to set up
such a zone.
However, she added she could not tell if China has such a plan.
Additional reporting by AP
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