Japan on Tuesday dismissed speculation linking China's military to a recent accident involving a Ground Self-Defense Force helicopter that went missing last week after presumably crashing off the southern prefecture of Okinawa.
"We have not confirmed moves by the Chinese military related to" the apparent crash Thursday of the GSDF UH-60JA multipurpose helicopter off Miyako Island, Defense Ministry spokesman Takeshi Aoki told a press conference.
His remarks came amid online speculation that Chinese forces shot down the chopper with a missile or a drone or attacked the radio waves of the helicopter, causing it to lose control.
All 10 aboard the helicopter remain unaccounted for. Search efforts for the chopper have been hampered by the coral reefs in the area where it lost contact.
Speculations were further fueled by information released by the Japanese Defense Ministry prior to the incident. The ministry had said that Chinese navy reconnaissance and frigate vessels were spotted sailing through nearby waters early Thursday.
At a Diet session last week, an opposition lawmaker asked Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada about the connection between the Chinese ships and the incident. Hamada said that his ministry has not received reports suggesting any connection.
Noting that the helicopter went missing at 3:56 p.m. on Thursday, Aoki said there was a "huge difference" between the time the incident occurred and the time the Chinese vessels were confirmed being in the area.
About 400 kilometers east of Taiwan, Miyako Island is home to a GSDF land-to-ship missile unit. It is adjacent to the East China Sea and close to the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands, which are claimed by China and called Diaoyu.
Related coverage:
Body reportedly seen in waters following GSDF chopper disappearance
Missing SDF chopper carrying 10 members may have crashed
Japan SDF chopper with 10 members aboard goes missing near Okinawa
