Japan protests after a Chinese military aircraft locks its radar on Japanese jets
TOKYO (AP) — Japan said early Sunday it was protesting against China after a military jet taking off from the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning locked its radar on Japanese warplanes near the southern island of Okinawa; It is the latest debate between the two countries, whose ties have recently soured over the Japanese leader’s remarks in Taiwan.
Japan’s Defense Ministry said China’s military aircraft J-15 “intermittently” targeted its radar at Japanese F-15 fighter jets twice on Saturday – for about three minutes in the afternoon and for about 30 minutes in the evening.
According to the ministry, the Chinese aircraft’s radar lock was detected by different Japanese warplanes fighting against a possible violation of China’s airspace. There were no violations of Japanese airspace in the incident and no injuries or damage were reported.
It was not known whether the radar lock-on incident involved the same Chinese J-15 on both occasions.
Briefing reporters early Sunday, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Japan had protested against China over its radar lock, calling it “a dangerous action that exceeds the scope necessary for safe aircraft operations.”
Koizumi said, “It is extremely regrettable that such an incident occurred.” “We lodged a strong protest with the Chinese side and demanded strict preventive measures.”
There was no comment from the Chinese government or military. On Friday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the Chinese navy operates in accordance with international law and others should not exaggerate its activities.
The latest incident comes as relations between the two countries have deteriorated in recent weeks.
China is angry with the statement of the Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi At the beginning of November, it was rumored that its military could step in if China took action against Taiwan, a self-governing island that Beijing says should come under its rule.
The aircraft carrier Liaoning passed between the main island of Okinawa and the nearby island of Miyako while conducting aircraft takeoff and landing exercises in the Pacific on Saturday.
Kyodo News agency quoted defense officials as saying that Japanese F-15 warplanes, which took action in case of airspace violation, followed the Chinese plane from a safe distance and did not include actions that could be interpreted as provocations.
Fighter planes can use radars for search purposes or as fire control before launching missiles.
This is believed to be the first example of radar interlock involving Japanese and Chinese military aircraft. In 2013, a Chinese warship targeted the radar on a Japanese destroyer, Kyodo said.
Elsewhere in the Pacific, the Philippine coast guard is fired three flares toward a fisheries bureau plane patrolling the South China Sea on Saturday. Chinese forces are firing flares to warn planes to move away from what they consider airspace over disputed waters.
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Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this report.
