Chinese J-15 fighter jets taking off from the aircraft carrier USS Liaoning twice aimed radar at Japanese F-15 fighter jets southeast of Okinawa. This was announced by Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, noting that Tokyo has protested to Beijing on this issue.
“It is extremely regrettable that this has happened. We strongly protest against the Chinese side and request measures to ensure this does not happen again,” he said. “This was a dangerous act that went far beyond what was necessary to ensure a safe flight,” Koizumi added.
According to him, the first incident occurred southeast of Okinawa, where over international waters, a Chinese J-15 fighter, taking off from the Liaoning aircraft carrier, aimed its radar for three minutes at a Japanese F-15 fighter and tried to intercept it. The second incident, lasting 31 minutes, occurred under similar circumstances and in the same area two hours later.
The incident occurred amid a sharp deterioration in relations after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in a parliamentary debate that a possible military crisis in Taiwan would pose an “existential threat” that would force Japan to exercise the “right of collective self-defense.” This caused deep dissatisfaction in Beijing, causing Tokyo to seriously protest. The Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Osaka, Xue Jian, on social networking site X threatened to “behead” the Japanese prime minister, but this post was later deleted. After that, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned compatriots not to travel to Japan.
Taiwan has been governed by its own government since 1949, when remnants of Kuomintang forces led by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) fled to the island after being defeated in the Chinese Civil War. Since then, Taipei has retained the flag and some other attributes of the former Republic of China, which existed on the mainland before the communists came to power. According to Beijing's official stance, supported by most countries, including Russia, this is one of China's regions.
