TOKYO (AP) Japan and China are exchanging angry words over a territorial dispute, with each country summoning the other's ambassador and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe calling a newly declared Chinese maritime air defense zone dangerous and unenforceable.
The United States is weighing in on Japan's side. White House spokesman Josh Earnest, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday, said: "We believe that this announcement from the Chinese government was unnecessarily inflammatory. There are regional disputes in that part of the world, and those are disputes that should be resolved diplomatically."
On Saturday, Beijing issued a map of the zone and a set of rules that say all aircraft must notify Chinese authorities and are subject to emergency military measures if they do not identify themselves or obey Beijing's orders.
Abe told a parliamentary session Monday that the zone alters the state of affairs in the East China Sea and escalates a tense situation.
"The measures by the Chinese side have no validity whatsoever for Japan, and we demand China revoke any measures that could infringe upon the freedom of flight in international airspace," Abe said. "It can invite an unexpected occurrence and it is a very dangerous thing as well."