People within Japan's Defence Ministry have accused Chinese helicopter pilots of ignoring orders from their own fleet and endangering the safety of Tokyo's vessels, after they buzzed the ships in waters close to Japanese territory.
Claiming that 'insubordination' could lead to accidents that may trigger a backlash in public sentiment, the unnamed sources told the Yomiuri newspaper that Chinese pilots apparently did not follow orders and that rules needed to be drawn up between the two sides to lessen the possibility of an incident.
'If a Chinese helicopter goes out of control and collides with one of our destroyers, then anti-Japanese sentiment will flare up in China,' the ministry official is quoted as saying. 'We need to establish rules to prevent accidents on the open sea.'
The official added that the Chinese Navy helicopter that approached a destroyer of Japan's Self-Defence Forces on April 8 was ignoring operational orders. The crew of the Japanese vessel Suzunami requested by radio that the aircraft not approach any closer, but that request had no effect.
The Chinese helicopter finally came to a halt about 90 metres from the ship and at a height of about 30 metres - lower than the ship's radio mast. The Chinese crew of the Ka-28 anti-submarine helicopter could clearly be seen leaning out of an open door and taking photographs of the Japanese ship.
The Japanese destroyer had been sent to monitor the exercises by the Chinese fleet.