Japan's Defense Ministry says a Chinese military drone flew over waters between Okinawa Prefecture's main island and Miyako Island on Sunday.

The ministry says the Chinese military's reconnaissance drone WZ7 flew from the East China Sea and passed between the southern islands toward the Pacific. It then turned around south of Miyako Island and took the same route back toward mainland China.

Japan's Air Self-Defense Force scrambled its fighter jets. The drone did not enter Japanese airspace.

Defense Ministry officials say it was the first sighting of that type of drone around Japan. They add it is the fourth type of Chinese military drone ever spotted.

Officials continue patrol and surveillance as they believe the Chinese military could be using various drones in an effort to increase its operational capabilities.