Japan, China trade blame over near-miss incident amid PLA drills
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Japan voices concerns after a Chinese fighter jet came within 45 meters of an SDF aircraft over the Pacific.
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This image provided by Japan's Ministry of Defense shows a Chinese J-15 fighter jet over the Pacific, on June 8, 2025 (The Ministry of Defense via AP)
Japan has expressed "serious concern" over a close encounter between a Chinese J-15 fighter jet and a Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF) patrol aircraft in the Pacific.
The Chinese jet, launched from the aircraft carrier Shandong, reportedly flew within 45 meters of the Japanese plane during an operation over the weekend.
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, called the incident "highly dangerous", warning that it could have resulted in a mid-air collision. The Japanese Ministry of Defense reported that the J-15 also passed directly in front of the SDF aircraft at the same altitude, at a distance of just 900 meters, describing the maneuvers as "dangerous and abnormal."
In response, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed Tokyo’s claims and blamed the incident on Japanese reconnaissance flights. Spokesperson Lin Jian said, "The root cause of the risk to maritime and air security was the close reconnaissance of China’s normal military activities by a Japanese warplane."
Beijing urged Tokyo to cease such "dangerous behavior", maintaining that its military operations were in line with international law.
This exchange follows repeated accusations by Beijing that Japanese surveillance of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) poses a security threat.
Carrier groups maneuver east of strategic line
The incident comes amid a series of dual aircraft carrier drills conducted by the Shandong and Liaoning near Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
According to Japan’s Defense Ministry, it was the first time a Chinese carrier group operated east of the second island chain, a strategic boundary that includes US territory like Guam and reflects a significant extension of China's naval reach.
The Shandong was detected conducting takeoff and landing drills 550 km southeast of Miyako Island in Okinawa Prefecture. Meanwhile, the Liaoning was spotted 300 km southwest of Minamitori Island before leaving Japan’s EEZ for further exercises.
Chinese officials described the maneuvers as tests of "far-sea defense" and joint operational capabilities, signaling Beijing’s intent to enhance its blue-water naval projection.
On a related note, Japan’s Defense Minister Gen Nakatani stated that China appears to be increasing the operational capacity of its aircraft carriers and advancing its presence in distant maritime and airspace zones.
Meanwhile, Chinese state media accused Japan of veering from its postwar pacifist constitution by planning new missile deployments on Kyushu and expanding military procurement.
Beijing maintains that its military posture remains defensive and lawful. However, Japan and other Asia-Pacific nations continue to monitor the situation closely, warning that such maneuvers increase the risk of miscalculation in a region already fraught with strategic rivalries.
