Japan Raises Alarm Over Close Encounter with Chinese Fighter Jet

Japan's Defense Ministry reported an incident where a Chinese J-15 fighter jet flew dangerously close to a Japanese P-3C patrol aircraft, raising tensions amid China's expanding military operations in the region. Japan's officials called for preventive actions to avoid similar encounters in the future.

Japanese defense authorities announced on Thursday that a Chinese fighter jet had dangerously approached a Japanese military plane over international waters in the Pacific Ocean last weekend, sparking apprehension regarding China's increasing military activities in the area. The Defense Ministry's statement on Thursday detailed that a Chinese J-15 fighter jet had made an unusually close approach to a Japanese P-3C patrol aircraft, which was on a surveillance mission. The incident saw the Chinese jet flying within 150 feet of the Japanese plane on Saturday and cutting across its path just 3,000 feet away on Sunday, highlighting the risk of a collision.

The Chinese aircraft originated from the Shandong, one of two aircraft carriers conducting exercises in the Pacific, representing the first instances of such operations by both carriers far from China's coast, a demonstration of Beijing's expanding military reach. Japan's Defense Minister Gen. Nakatani expressed grave concerns, urging measures to prevent such occurrences that could lead to unintended collisions during a security committee meeting at the Diet, Japan's parliament.

Gen. Yoshihide Yoshida, head of Japan’s joint staff, voiced his apprehensions about potential collisions between the Chinese fighter, reportedly armed with missiles, and the Japanese patrol aircraft. Though he acknowledged the challenge of discerning the intentions behind the Chinese jet's maneuvers, he remains cautious about the broader trend of heightened military activities by China, which he described as intermittent and continuous.

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian indicated that both nations' defense ministries were in communication regarding these near misses. However, he accused Japan of provoking the situation, asserting that Japan's maneuvers close to China were the core issue. Lin urged for a more objective and rational perspective on the situation from Japan.

This incident reflects ongoing tensions in regional airspace, echoing a previous occurrence in 2022 when a Chinese fighter jet came within 20 feet of an American military aircraft over the South China Sea, nearly causing a crash. Historical tensions also persist, as evidenced by a fatal collision in 2001 between a Chinese fighter jet and a U.S. Navy surveillance plane in the same area. Japanese and international authorities remain on alert as military activities in the Pacific intensify.