Chinese fighter jets locked radar onto Japanese aircraft — Tokyo lodged a protest
On Saturday, near the Okinawa Islands — over international waters — two Chinese J-15 fighter jets, which took off from the Liaoning aircraft carrier, twice directed fire radar guidance at Japanese F-15s, which were scrambled to intercept them. This was reported by The Public with reference to Reuters and the Japan Times.
Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi called these actions ‘extremely dangerous’ and ‘exceeding what is necessary for safe flight.’ Tokyo has already lodged a diplomatic protest with Beijing.
The Chinese side responded that Japanese aircraft allegedly ‘interfered with legitimate training,’ calling Tokyo's statements ‘groundless’ and rejecting the accusations.
The incident erupted amid growing tensions between the two countries over disputes over Taiwan's status and China's military activity in the region. According to Japanese defence officials, such manoeuvres are a potential threat to stability in the East Asian region.
Japan has called on China to ‘take immediate measures to prevent a recurrence,’ while Tokyo and its allies, including Australia, have expressed concern over the escalation of military tensions.
