Japan News (August 27) reported Japan's Defense Ministry as announcing on August 26, that the 

ASDF scrambled planes in response to three Chinese military aircraft spotted in the airspace 

between the main island of Okinawa and Miyakojima Island in Okinawa Prefecture. Although 

there were no airspace violations, one of the aircraft seen on August 27 is believed to have been 

an unmanned TB-001, making it the third consecutive day of Chinese drone sightings in the area 

from August 24. The three aircraft flew from the East China Sea to the Pacific Ocean on August 26, and then returned to the East China Sea. The ministry is looking into possible motives behind 

China’s actions.