Tensions in the Pacific flared over the weekend as Chinese fighter jets flew alarmingly close to Japanese patrol planes — with one aircraft reportedly coming within just 45 meters of a Japanese P-3C surveillance plane.
According to the Japanese government, these incidents occurred on June 7 and 8, during Japan’s routine surveillance flights over international waters south of Okinawa. The Japanese Defense Ministry stated that a Chinese J-15 fighter jet, operating from the aircraft carrier Shandong, chased a Japanese patrol plane for nearly 40 minutes on Saturday. The following day, another—or possibly the same—J-15 followed another Japanese plane for an astonishing 80 minutes, at times crossing as close as 900 meters in front of it.
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi expressed “serious concern” over the maneuvers and officially requested China prevent such actions from happening again. “These abnormal approaches could lead to unintended collisions,” Japan’s defense ministry warned, sharing close-up photos of the armed Chinese jets taken during the encounter.
While Japan insists its aircraft were operating lawfully in international airspace, China has pushed back, accusing Japan of endangering regional security. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian responded by saying, “The close-range surveillance by Japanese ships and planes is the real source of risk. We urge Japan to halt such dangerous behavior.”
This sharp exchange comes as Tokyo and Washington grow increasingly wary of China’s expanding military footprint in the Pacific. For the first time, Japan confirmed the presence of two Chinese aircraft carriers—the Shandong and Liaoning—operating simultaneously in the region. China has described these exercises as part of “routine training,” insisting they were not aimed at any specific country.
Still, the incidents have heightened alarm among defense analysts and military leaders in both Japan and the United States. General Yoshihide Yoshida, Japan’s top military officer, warned that China is repeating a pattern seen in the South China Sea—changing the regional status quo through intimidation and force. “We must prevent these behaviors from becoming normalized,” he said.
U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass took to X (formerly Twitter), calling the Chinese jet’s actions “reckless aggression.” He referenced similar incidents where Chinese military aircraft have harassed vessels and planes from the Philippines, Vietnam, and Australia. “Putting Japanese crewmembers’ lives at risk is yet another example of Beijing’s so-called ‘good neighbor’ policy,” Glass added sarcastically.
This is not the first time Chinese jets have buzzed Japanese planes. In 2014, Japan protested after Chinese aircraft came within 30 meters of its planes over the East China Sea.
As China continues to assert its military power beyond its borders, the Pacific region is entering a new era of heightened military tensions, with potential flashpoints emerging in multiple zones — from the East China Sea to the Taiwan Strait.
