Japan and Australia on Sunday called for calm after Chinese military aircraft locked radar on Japanese F-15 fighter jets near the southern island of Okinawa. The incident occurred just a month after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on Taiwan, which had already stirred tensions between Tokyo and Beijing. Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi described the radar lock as “extremely regrettable” and “dangerous,” exceeding the scope necessary for safe aircraft operations.

According to Japan’s Defense Ministry, a Chinese J-15 fighter took off from the carrier Liaoning and intermittently latched its radar onto Japanese jets twice on Saturday — once for three minutes in the late afternoon and again for about 30 minutes in the evening. Japanese jets had been scrambled to monitor Chinese aircraft conducting takeoff and landing drills, maintaining a safe distance throughout the encounter. No Japanese airspace was breached, and no injuries or damages were reported.

China’s navy spokesperson, Senior Colonel Wang Xuemeng, defended the flights near Miyako Island, claiming the exercises had been pre-announced and accusing Japanese jets of “harassment.” Wang warned Japan to refrain from “slandering and smearing” China and stated that the Chinese Navy would take measures to safeguard its security and interests.

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Prime Minister Takaichi called the radar lock-in “extremely disappointing” but vowed to act calmly and resolutely. She emphasized continued surveillance operations around Japanese waters and airspace, closely monitoring Chinese military activities to ensure regional security.

The incident drew concern from Australia, whose Defense Minister Richard Marles was in Tokyo for talks with Koizumi. Marles expressed worry over China’s actions, emphasizing the need for “safe and professional” military interactions. Both countries agreed to strengthen military cooperation through a comprehensive framework for strategic defense coordination, enhancing multilateral security in the region.

The radar lock marks the first known incident of its kind between Chinese and Japanese military aircraft, though tensions have persisted in other domains. Separately, the Philippine Coast Guard reported that China fired flares at a fisheries patrol plane over disputed South China Sea waters, highlighting Beijing’s increasingly assertive posture across multiple regional flashpoints.

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