Japan–China tensions rise after Chinese jets lock radar on Japanese fighters

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi with Australia’s Richard Marles. Pic/AP/PTI

Japan and Australia urged calm on Sunday after Chinese military aircraft locked radar on Japanese fighter jets. Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Japan formally protested the incident.

He said China's military aircraft J-15 took off from the Chinese carrier Liaoning near the southern island of Okinawa on Saturday and "intermittently" latched its radar on Japanese F-15 fighter jets on two occasions Saturday, for about three minutes in the late afternoon and for about 30 minutes in the evening.

Japanese fighter jets had scrambled to pursue Chinese jets conducting aircraft takeoff and landing exercises in the Pacific from a safe distance. Japan and Australia, whose defence ministers held their scheduled talks in Tokyo on Sunday, expressed worry over the development. "We are deeply concerned by the actions of China in the last 24 hours," Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said.

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