Chinese fighters flew close to Japanese patrol planes, Tokyo expresses concern

This handout photograph taken on June 8, 2025 and obtained on June 12, 2025 from Japan’s Ministry of Defence exhibits a J-15 fighter jet from the Chinese plane provider Shandong making an uncommon strategy to a Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force P-3C patrol plane that was conducting surveillance above the Pacific Ocean. Tokyo stated on June 12, it had expressed severe issues to Beijing after Chinese fighter jets flew “unusually close” to a Japanese army patrol aircraft within the Pacific final weekend.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Chinese fighter jets flew unusually close to Japanese army patrol planes over the weekend, Tokyo stated, after two Chinese plane carriers have been noticed working concurrently within the Pacific for the primary time.

“We have expressed serious concern to the Chinese side and solemnly requested prevention of recurrence,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi stated on Thursday, referring to the June 7-8 incidents during which Tokyo stated Chinese jets flew as close as 45 metres (148 ft) to Japanese planes.

On Saturday, a Chinese J-15 jet from the plane provider Shandong chased a Japanese P-3C patrol plane for about 40 minutes, in accordance to Japan’s Defence Ministry.

On Sunday, a J-15 chased a P-3C for 80 minutes, crossing in entrance of the Japanese plane at a distance of solely 900 meters (2,950 ft), it stated.

A spokesperson on the ministry’s Joint Staff Office declined to disclose whether or not the identical planes have been concerned within the incidents on each days.

The P-3C plane, belonging to Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force primarily based within the island of Okinawa, have been conducting surveillance over worldwide waters within the Pacific, in accordance to the Ministry.

“Such abnormal approaches by Chinese military aircraft could potentially cause accidental collisions,” the Ministry stated in a press release on Wednesday, attaching close-up photos of the J-15 jet it took on Sunday. There was no injury to the Japanese planes and crew, it added.

Mr. Hayashi, the highest Japanese authorities spokesperson, instructed a daily briefing that Tokyo will preserve communications with Beijing at numerous ranges and make sure the monitoring of airspace round its territories.

Earlier this week, Tokyo stated the Shandong and one other Chinese provider the Liaoning have been conducting simultaneous operations within the Pacific for the primary time, describing it as a transfer signifying Beijing’s intention to additional widen its capabilities past its borders.

Beijing has stated the operations have been a “routine training” train that didn’t goal particular nations.

In 2014, Tokyo stated it noticed Chinese army plane flying as close as 30 metres to its army plane over the East China Sea and protested to Beijing.