Chinese J-15 Fighter Locks Radar on Japanese Aircraft Twice, Tokyo Calls It “Extremely Dangerous”

On December 6, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi revealed that a Chinese Navy J-15 carrier-based fighter twice illuminated a Japanese patrol aircraft with its fire-control radar in international airspace southeast of Okinawa.

“These actions are extremely dangerous and far exceed what is required for normal flight safety,” Koizumi stated.

Tokyo immediately lodged a strong diplomatic protest with Beijing and demanded that Beijing take immediate steps to prevent any recurrence. Japan regards the Chinese pilot’s use of fire-control radar as a deliberate provocation that risks unintended escalation.