Japan Protests After Jets Targeted by China With Radar

Japan and Australia condemned the radar targeting as dangerous and destabilizing for the region, pointing to Beijing’s disregard for the rules-based order.

5th and 8th Air Wing of Japan Air Self-Defense Force's F-15 and F-2 fighters hold a joint military drill with U.S. Marine Aircraft Group 12's F-35B fighters off Japan's southernmost main island of Kyushu, Japan, on Oct. 4, 2022. Joint Staff Office of the Defense Ministry of Japan/Reuters

Tensions between China and Japan escalated again over the weekend after two Chinese J-15 fighter jets allegedly aimed their radars at Japanese F-15 fighter jets near Okinawa, prompting Tokyo to lodge a formal protest against Beijing, with Canberra supporting Japan.

Japan’s Ministry of Defense said the episodes occurred on Saturday in international airspace southeast of Okinawa. The ministry said no Japanese aircraft were damaged and that the Chinese jets did not enter Japan’s territorial airspace.