Japan has filed a diplomatic complaint with Beijing after describing as “near-miss” aggressive maneuvers by Chinese fighter aircraft close to Japanese patrol planes off the Pacific. This came at the same time as China’s unprecedented concurrent deployment of its two operational aircraft carriers over last weekend.
A Chinese J-15 fighter from the Shandong aircraft carrier flew as close as 45 meters (147 feet) to a Japanese P-3C maritime surveillance aircraft, performing other “dangerous maneuvers” in encounters on Saturday and Sunday, Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported.
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said, “We have made our serious concerns known to the Chinese side and made solemnly the request for prevention of recurrence.
Japan’s defense ministry said the P-3C aircraft from Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force stationed in Okinawa were flying over international waters off the Pacific when they encountered the Chinese fighter jets. A J-15 of the Shandong chased a Japanese P-3C patrol plane for about 40 minutes on Saturday. The next day, another J-15 trailed a P-3C for roughly 80 minutes, flying over in front of the Japanese aircraft at only 900 meters (2,952 feet).
Hayashi said Tokyo will continue to keep in touch with Beijing at different levels and make sure close observation of the air space over Japan’s territories continues.
Notably, the last recorded incident of this nature occurred over a decade ago, in May and June 2014, when Chinese Su-27 fighter jets flew within 30 meters (98 feet) of Japan’s military planes.
Besides, Kyodo said the Shandong aircraft carrier on Monday practiced takeoffs and landings to the north of Japan’s southernmost Okinotori Island in the country’s EEZ. The Liaoning carrier also went inside the EEZ on Saturday before heading outside the zone, where it practiced further takeoffs and landings on Sunday.
