Tokyo, December 7 — Japan’s Defence Ministry says Chinese fighter jets intermittently locked fire-control radar on Japanese F-15s over international waters on Saturday, according to Japanese state media.
Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told reporters early Sunday that the ministry recorded two separate episodes in which Chinese J-15s operating from the carrier Liaoning targeted Japanese aircraft southeast of Okinawa Prefecture. Koizumi described the actions as “dangerous and extremely regrettable,” and Japan has filed a formal protest, urging Beijing to prevent any recurrence.
A ministry official said the pattern of intermittent radar locks was puzzling, because such behavior would be unnecessary if the goal were merely to locate or shadow aircraft. The incidents followed the Liaoning’s transit past waters off Okinawa on December 6, after which the Chinese carrier group conducted training flights into the Pacific and prompted Japan’s Self-Defense Forces to scramble jets.
Japan reported spotting the Liaoning in the East China Sea on Friday, roughly 420 kilometres north of Kuba Island, an islet administered by Tokyo but claimed by Beijing. The carrier, escorted by three destroyers, then steamed toward the Pacific and carried out training about 270 kilometres west of Okidaito Island.
Beijing sharply rejected Japan’s protest, saying the operations were routine carrier-based training east of the Miyako Strait. Chinese officials accused Japanese SDF aircraft of interfering with their drills and jeopardizing flight safety. The PLA Navy spokesperson cited by state media said the exercises had been publicly announced and accused Japan of misrepresenting the facts, warning that China would take lawful measures to protect its security and interests.
The episode follows a separate June incident in which Chinese jets reportedly came dangerously close to a Japanese patrol plane near Okinawa. Okinawa sits close to Taiwan, which China regards as a breakaway province it may seek to reunify with the mainland by force if necessary. Taiwan’s government has warned that China’s military buildup poses risks to the wider Indo-Pacific region.
Tensions have also increased after comments by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who said a military attack on Taiwan could produce a “survival‑threatening situation” for Japan, language that has been interpreted as opening the possibility of SDF involvement in certain contingencies.
Japan says it is closely monitoring Chinese activity in the area. The Liaoning is one of China’s carrier assets, and Beijing commissioned a third carrier, the Fujian, last month, further expanding its carrier capability.
(This article is based on a syndicated feed and was published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility for its accuracy or completeness.)
