Chai Lidan, a specialist in air defense, said it is common international practice that two countries having controversial air defense zones negotiate a pact but that Japan has displayed a lack of responsibility.

"By shutting the door on communication, Japan once again puts the security of its citizens at stake, asking Japanese airlines not to report flight information to Chinese authorities as required," she added.

On the issue of the overlapping air defense zones, China has called on the two sides to strengthen communication and jointly safeguard air safety, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said at Friday's news conference.

"It has been our consistent stance that we seek effective ways of managing differences through dialogue. The current problem is that Japan has avoided conducting substantial negotiations with China," Qin said.

"We hope Japan will make pragmatic efforts instead of merely stopping with words," he said.

On Friday, China sent fighter planes to investigate flights by a dozen US and Japanese planes in the new air defense zone, National Defense Ministry spokesman Shen Jinke said.

The Chinese fighter jets identified and monitored the two US and 10 Japanese aircraft during their flights through the zone, he added.

Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that Tokyo "will respond firmly" to China's setting new flight rules, "but in a calm manner".

Japan "will cooperate with allied countries, neighboring countries and international organizations," Abe was quoted as saying by ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Takeshi Iwaya.

Iwaya also handed Abe the party's written resolution criticizing China and urging Beijing to immediately withdraw the new measure in question.