Tokyo [Japan], December 8 (ANI): Japan on Monday rejected China’s claim that interference by its Self-Defence Forces (SDF) led Chinese military aircraft to lock fire-control radars on Japanese fighters, calling the accusation “baseless” amid heightened tensions following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent comments on a potential Taiwan contingency, Kyodo News reported.
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said at a press briefing that the Air Self-Defence Force (ASDF) jets maintained a “safe distance” from Chinese aircraft during the incident off Okinawa on Saturday. He emphasized that clear communication between the defence authorities of both nations remains “extremely important,” even as China continues to respond diplomatically over Takaichi’s remarks regarding Tokyo’s possible response to an attack on Taiwan.
According to Japan’s Defence Ministry, Chinese J-15 fighters from the carrier Liaoning locked their radars on an ASDF F-15 at 4:32 pm and again on another aircraft at 6:37 pm (local time) over international waters southeast of Okinawa. The ministry reported that the Chinese carrier group conducted nearly 100 flight operations—takeoffs and landings involving fighters and helicopters—during weekend drills in the Pacific, raising concerns over the risk of an unintended clash.
China accused Japanese aircraft of repeatedly approaching and disrupting its training activities, claiming the manoeuvres “seriously endangered flight safety.” The radar-lock incident comes amid escalating tensions over Takaichi’s November 7 parliamentary statement suggesting that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could threaten Japan’s survival, potentially allowing Tokyo to support US military operations. Beijing condemned the remarks as provocative.
Kihara described the radar targeting as a “dangerous act beyond what is necessary for safe flight” and said Japan would continue to strengthen air and maritime surveillance while closely tracking Chinese military movements.
Within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), lawmakers expressed serious concern. LDP policy chief Takayuki Kobayashi called the radar lock “totally unacceptable,” while Itsunori Onodera, head of the party’s security research commission and a former defence minister, said the incident has escalated the situation to a “far more dangerous stage.” He also expects the United States to share Tokyo’s assessment and deliver a clear message to Beijing.
Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki voiced alarm during a meeting with Defence Ministry officials, stating that the developments are raising regional tensions and could trigger an unintended incident.
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