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Yomiuri Shimbun
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Approach by China Military Aircraft: Japan Expressing Concern Is Not Enough to Resolve Incidents
One misstep could have led to a grave situation. The Chinese military's actions are utterly beyond the pale, and the Japanese government should voice its strong protest. A fighter jet that took off from the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong sailing off the southern coast of Okinawa Prefecture in the Pacific Ocean tailed a Maritime Self-Defense Force P-3C patrol plane twice, approaching the Japanese plane and getting as close as about 45 meters on both occasions. The Chinese aircraft followed the Japanese plane for about 40 minutes on June 7 and about 80 minutes on the following day. It also carried out a dangerous maneuver, flying across the MSDF plane's path about 900 meters ahead of it on June 8. The MSDF plane was engaged in surveillance operations of the Chinese aircraft carrier when the abnormal approach occurred. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has explained that the reconnaissance activities by the MSDF aircraft were the root cause of the risk, as if Japan were to blame for the incidents. However, the Chinese aircraft carrier was found to have been sailing inside Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). It is only natural for the Self-Defense Forces to monitor the carrier's movements. Beijing's claim is completely illogical. Japan has expressed its concern to China, but given the gravity of the situation, it should lodge a protest and demand an apology. The problem is not limited to the fact that these abnormal approaches are dangerous. The Chinese military had another aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, operating in waters near Minami-Torishima Island inside the EEZ at the same time the Shandong was active. Both carriers had aircraft repeatedly taking off and landing from them. Apparently, the Chinese military was carrying out exercises to enhance its capabilities to operate aircraft carriers and fighter jets in the Pacific Ocean, which is far from China. The Chinese military has regarded the area from the Ogasawara Islands to the south of Guam as the 'second island chain' and the area from the Nansei Islands to the Philippines, which is closer to China, as the 'first island chain.' In the event of a contingency, China plans to employ a strategy of blocking U.S. military movements between these two chains to prevent U.S. forces from entering areas west of the first island chain. This was the first time that China had two aircraft carriers simultaneously deployed in the Pacific. It had one of the carriers advance east of the second island chain, which also marked the first such development. Beijing's move is seen as an attempt to expand its range of action and bring the western Pacific under its influence. China's usual tactic is to try to turn its claims into a fait accompli by repeatedly making unilateral attempts to change the status quo. It has been confirmed that mineral resources such as cobalt and nickel exist in large quantities in the seabed around Minami-Torishima Island. Perhaps China has ambitions to acquire these abundant resources for itself. In recent years, the SDF has been working to strengthen the defense system for the Nansei Islands to deal with China's hegemonic activities. The SDF will also need to allocate more resources to surveillance operations for islands in the Pacific. (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 16, 2025)
Japan Forward
14-06-2025
- General
- Japan Forward
Chinese Military Jets Make Aggressive Passes Near Japan
このページを 日本語 で読む At a press conference on June 12, General Yoshihide Yoshida, Chief of the Joint Staff of Japan's Self-Defense Forces, addressed the aggressive actions of Chinese military aircraft. He described the behavior as deliberate, noting, "They followed us for 40 minutes, then 80 minutes — and it happened two days in a row." Chinese J-15 fighter jets, launched from the aircraft carrier Shandong , approached Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) P-3C patrol aircraft at dangerously close range on two consecutive days. The Shandong had advanced to waters near Japan's Okinotorishima, more than 1,500 kilometers from the Chinese mainland. According to the Ministry of Defense (MOD), the first close encounter occurred on June 7. A lone J-15 tailed Japan's P-3C for approximately 40 minutes, repeatedly veering side to side as it approached and retreated, eventually closing to within just 45 meters on the aircraft's left side. On June 8, a second J-15 tailed a Japanese P-3C for roughly 80 minutes, coming as close as 45 meters on the aircraft's right side. As it disengaged, the jet crossed in front of the patrol plane at the same altitude, just 900 meters ahead. That day, another Chinese fighter also joined the pursuit. Describing the 45-meter proximity, a Japan Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) pilot said it felt like "a total stranger walking shoulder to shoulder with you — close enough to break a cold sweat." At the time, China had deployed two aircraft carriers to the western Pacific simultaneously for the first time. Reflecting on the maneuver, one ASDF official remarked, "It was as if they were declaring, 'This is China's airspace.'" Frontal crossings like the one on June 8 are especially dangerous, as wake turbulence can trigger engine malfunctions. Japan's P-3C was conducting surveillance on five vessels, including the Shandong . According to reports, the JMSDF aircraft attempted to communicate via radio, asserting that it was "conducting legitimate mission flights in international airspace." While the MOD has not released the full details of the exchange, it stated that a safe distance was maintained from the Shandong . Chinese military aircraft have repeatedly carried out provocative maneuvers against the United States and other allied forces in recent years. In February, a Chinese J-16 fighter jet closed to within just 30 meters of an Australian P-8A patrol aircraft over the South China Sea and released infrared countermeasure flares designed to evade missiles. According to a 2023 announcement by the US Department of Defense, Chinese aircraft were involved in more than 180 abnormal close encounters over the previous two years. These included incidents where jets flew close enough for crew members' faces to be seen or crossed directly in front of US aircraft at dangerously close range. Around the same time, another Chinese aircraft carrier, the Liaoning , crossed the Second Island Chain — a key US defense perimeter — for the first time. This time, with both Chinese carriers operating simultaneously in the western Pacific, Professor Tetsuo Kotani of Meikai University, a security policy expert, offered this analysis: "This seems to be China's way of sending a warning: 'Don't interfere with our legitimate training in this newly entered area.' It also reflects growing confidence as China continues to strengthen its carrier strike group operations." Author: Toyohiro Ichioka, The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
Nikkei Asia
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Nikkei Asia
China's fighter encounter with Japan signals Xi's hard line on security
BEIJING -- The latest incident involving Japanese and Chinese forces in the East China Sea underscores how Chinese President Xi Jinping is standing firm on security even as Beijing has taken steps toward rapprochement with Tokyo in other areas. This past week, Chinese J-15 fighter jets from the aircraft carrier Shandong flew abnormally close to a Japanese P-3C patrol aircraft over the Pacific Ocean in what Japan's Defense Ministry has said was deliberate maneuvering.
Yomiuri Shimbun
13-06-2025
- General
- Yomiuri Shimbun
China Flexes Muscle With Reckless Fighter Jet Moves;Sending 2 Aircraft Carriers Into Pacific Also Symbolic
Courtesy of Defense Ministry's Joint Staff Office China's Shandong aircraft carrier The recent dangerous maneuvers conducted by at least one Chinese fighter jet close to at least one Maritime Self-Defense Force aircraft and the expanding reach of Beijing's aircraft carriers are China's latest flexes of its growing military might. A Chinese fighter jet that took off from the Shandong aircraft carrier sailing in the Pacific Ocean flew at a distance of about 45 meters of a Japanese MSDF P-3C patrol plane that was monitoring the vessel on June 7, and a similar incident occurred on Sunday, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday. In Sunday's incident, the Chinese jet also cut across in front of the P-3C. 'A Self-Defense Forces pilot wouldn't conduct those maneuvers,' a senior ministry official said about the unusual actions of the Chinese aircraft. The ministry said a Chinese J-15 fighter that took off from the Shandong followed a P-3C over international waters south of Miyakojima Island in Okinawa Prefecture for about 40 minutes in the Saturday incident and for about 80 minutes in the incident on June 7. In each case, the P-3C was maintaining a safe distance while monitoring the Shandong, but a J-15 approached the aircraft before moving away again. The J-15 flew at a distance of about 45 meters horizontally of the MSDF aircraft on both days. Photographs released by the ministry showed the pilot in the cockpit of the J-15 that flew on the P-3C's left side was wearing a blue helmet. The Yomiuri Shimbun 'If either pilot makes a mistake at that distance, it could lead to a collision,' another senior ministry official said. On Sunday, the J-15 flying at about the same altitude as the P-3C suddenly cut across the MSDF aircraft's path about 900 meters ahead of it. This posed a risk of the P-3C's engines stopping if turbulent airflow from the fighter jet's exhaust entered them. This was the first time for the ministry to publicly announce that a Chinese fighter had carried out such maneuvers. The J-15 appeared to be carrying at least one missile. The intention behind the dangerous Chinese midair maneuvers appears to have been to disrupt the P-3C's monitoring of the aircraft carrier. Although the SDF aircraft were not damaged, the Japanese government lodged protests through diplomatic channels on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Heightened sense of alarm China is improving its aircraft carriers' operational capabilities while expanding their activities in the Pacific Ocean as part of its strategy aimed at preventing U.S. military intervention in the event of a conflict in Taiwan or the South China Sea. The United States calls this strategy anti-access/area denial (A2/AD). Involving aircraft carriers, submarines, missiles and other weapons, A2/AD seeks to impede U.S. military movements between the 'second island chain,' which runs from Japan's Izu Islands to Guam, where U.S. bases are located, and the 'first island chain,' which stretches from Japan's Nansei Islands to the Philippines. The strategy also seeks to deny access within the first island chain, which is closer to China. China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, was commissioned in 2012, and the Shandong became the second flattop to enter service in 2019. In early June, the Liaoning became the first Chinese carrier confirmed to have conducted activities in waters east of the second island chain. According to Japanese government sources, the Liaoning and the Shandong were both operating in the Pacific Ocean as of Thursday. This was the first time these carriers had been operating simultaneously in the Pacific. According to Defense Ministry materials, the Shandong has a full displacement of 66,000 tons and can carry 36 fighter jets and other equipment. Yoshihide Yoshida, chief of staff of the Joint Staff, expressed concern over these recent developments and insisted Japan would continue to closely monitor the situation. 'China's military activities are being stepped up at an extremely fast pace,' Yoshida, the SDF's top uniformed officer, said at a regular press conference Thursday. However, the sea and airspace areas that need to be monitored in the Pacific are vast, and the government will need to consider options such as deploying mobile radar units to remote island areas. Multilateral cooperation needed Yasuhiro Kawakami, a senior research fellow at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation and a former rear admiral in the MSDF, suggested China's recent naval activities had two main objectives. 'As well as getting a grasp on Japan's ability to respond to such situations, these operations were aimed at showing Japan and the United States that China has the capability to expand its influence in the Pacific,' Kawakami said. Sending the Liaoning past the second island chain for the first time also appears to have been China flaunting its ability to carry out operations in distant locations. Kawakami said Japan should continue its own monitoring and surveillance activities, but also work with other nations on this issue. 'Japan should bolster cooperation with United States and also like-minded nations in the Indo-Pacific region such as the Philippines and Australia,' Kawakami said. 'The nation should promote the sharing of accumulated information and strengthen its deterrence posture.'
Newsweek
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
China Feuds With US Ally Over Fighter Jet Intercept
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. China and Japan—a treaty ally of the United States—engaged in finger-pointing after their military aircraft had close encounters while conducting operations over the Pacific Ocean. Beijing accused Tokyo of "intruding" into the training area of its naval fleet, while Japan asserted that Chinese fighter jets deliberately flew in close proximity to its patrol aircraft. Newsweek has contacted the Chinese and Japanese foreign ministries for comment via email. Why It Matters Japan has been monitoring the Chinese navy—the largest in the world by hull count—in the western Pacific Ocean as the Northeast Asian country forms part of the first island chain, a defensive line of islands intended to contain China's navy under a U.S. maritime strategy. China has deployed both of its aircraft carriers—CNS Liaoning and CNS Shandong—to the east of the first island chain since June 7. Japan's military reported that its patrol aircraft was intercepted by fighter jets launched from the Shandong while conducting surveillance. What To Know Regarding the aerial intercept incidents reported by Japan the previous day, Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a news conference on Thursday that the two countries' defense departments "are in communication through existing channels." A Chinese J-15 fighter jet flying near a Japanese P-3C patrol aircraft over the Pacific Ocean on June 8. A Chinese J-15 fighter jet flying near a Japanese P-3C patrol aircraft over the Pacific Ocean on June 8. Japanese Defense Ministry However, the Chinese official blamed Japan's "close-in reconnaissance" of China's routine military activities for creating what he described as "maritime and air security risks" and urged the Japanese military to stop such dangerous actions by its vessels and aircraft. Meanwhile, an unnamed spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Japan reiterated a statement from the Chinese navy, saying the dual aircraft carrier deployment in the western Pacific Ocean was part of routine training and did not "target any specific country or objective." The Chinese spokesperson accused the Japanese patrol aircraft of "seriously disrupting" the training by approaching the aircraft carrier. The official said, "China conducted professional and standardized on-site handling in accordance with laws and regulations." In Japan, General Yoshihide Yoshida, the chief of the Joint Staff, told media that the approach by Chinese fighter jets toward the Japanese patrol aircraft was not accidental, saying the two incidents lasted for 40 and 80 minutes, respectively, and occurred on two consecutive days. Tokyo expressed serious concern to Beijing and requested measures to prevent a recurrence, said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, the Japanese government's spokesperson, at a news conference. He added that Japan would defend its territory, airspace and waters. Chinese aircraft carriers CNS Liaoning, top, and CNS Shandong, bottom, conducting flight operations with J-15 fighter jets in the western Pacific Ocean in early June. Chinese aircraft carriers CNS Liaoning, top, and CNS Shandong, bottom, conducting flight operations with J-15 fighter jets in the western Pacific Ocean in early June. Chinese military What People Are Saying Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said on Thursday: "China's activities in relevant waters and airspace are consistent with international law and international practices." An unnamed spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Japan said on Thursday: "China urges Japan to stop dangerous actions that interfere with China's training activities and to avoid causing unexpected incidents." General Yoshihide Yoshida, the chief of the Japan Joint Staff, said on Thursday: "If we relax our posture, we will encourage attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by (China's) force." Yoshimasa Hayashi, Japan's chief cabinet secretary, said on Thursday: "The unusual approach of a Chinese military aircraft could provoke an accidental collision." What Happens Next Japan is likely to continue its surveillance of Chinese military activities near its territory as China's navy and air force expand their reach and presence across the wider Pacific Ocean.
