Two serious incidents: Japan protests China’s use of fire-control radar

Two serious incidents occurred in international waters off Japan’s coast involving Japanese and Chinese fighter jets, prompting an official protest from Tokyo.

Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjirō Koizumi stated that Chinese fighter jets directed fire-control radar at Japanese aircraft over international waters on Saturday near Japan’s Okinawa Islands, in two separate episodes described as “dangerous”.

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In a post on X, the minister said: “The radar illumination exceeded what is necessary for the safe flight of aircraft,” noting that Japan had lodged a protest with China over the “regrettable” incident.

Locking a fire-control radar in launch mode is considered one of the most threatening actions a military aircraft can take, as it signals a potential attack and forces the targeted aircraft to carry out evasive maneuvers.

According to Reuters, confrontations around the islands near disputed territories claimed by both Japan and China are likely to intensify tensions between the two neighbours.

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China’s Ministry of Defence had not responded to Japan’s announcement at the time of reporting.

Japan hosts the largest overseas deployment of U.S. military forces, including warships, aircraft, and troops, with a significant part of these forces — including thousands of U.S. Marines — stationed in Okinawa.

Japan said the Chinese aircraft involved, J-15 fighters, had taken off from the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning, which was conducting exercises south of the Okinawa Islands alongside three missile destroyers.

Reuters, citing sources and intelligence reports, noted that China deployed a large number of navy and coast guard vessels across East Asian waters on Thursday, with the fleet exceeding 100 ships at one point.

Japan stated that it is closely monitoring Chinese activities.

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