Chinese Jets Target Japanese Fighters, Escalating Tensions Between Beijing and Tokyo

Chinese fighter pilots have upped the ante in the East China Sea. On December 6, The Wall Street Journal reported that two Chinese J-15 fighters from the aircraft carrier Liaoning twice trained their fire-control radar on Japanese F-15 jets patrolling southeast of Okinawa. A radar lock — an act just short of pulling the trigger — signals potential missile launch, forcing adversary pilots to take evasive action.

The incident marked the first time in over a decade that Japan has publicly reported Chinese warplanes locking weapons radar onto its aircraft, and follows Beijing’s attempts to bully Tokyo over its stance towards Taiwan.

Chinese Jets Achieve Radar Lock Twice During Regional Transit of Japanese Waters

The Japanese Self-Defense Forces reported that the Chinese jets illuminated the Japanese fighters twice over the course of the event, once for three minutes in the afternoon, and then again for approximately 30 minutes in the evening. Beijing denied the accusation and countered that Japanese aircraft had “maliciously followed and harassed” its carrier during routine exercises, accusing Tokyo of hyping a false narrative to mislead the international community.

The Japanese Defense Ministry estimated the total number of Chinese jet sorties from the aircraft carrier that day at around 100, though the encounters may continue as the Liaoning continues to transit southern Japanese waters. While Chinese forces have increasingly operated around Japan over the past several months, the last known Chinese radar lock incident occurred in 2013, when a Chinese navy ship locked fire-control radar on a Japanese destroyer and helicopter near the disputed Senkaku Islands.

Beijing Looks To Increase Pressure on Tokyo

The encounter took place amid growing Chinese economic and military pressure on Japan. After Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi warned in November that Tokyo would be legally justified in deploying its military forces in the event of a Taiwan crisis, Beijing escalated its response — reimposing bans on seafood imports and warning Chinese tourists against visiting Japan. Following Takaichi’s comments, the Chinese coast guard also deployed vessels around the Senkaku Islands, a long-disputed territory between the two countries, causing frequent standoffs with Japanese patrols.

The recent escalation also comes against a backdrop of steadily rising Chinese military pressure on Japan. In early December, the People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) launched its largest naval maneuvers in decades, a move that included deploying vessels around Japan’s Ryukyu Islands to practice blockades and disrupt maritime traffic. The PLA-N conducted dual aircraft carrier drills in the waters around Japan in June while joining Russia’s Pacific Fleet for joint anti-submarine warfare exercises in nearby waters in August.

U.S. Should Strengthen Ties to Japan

While Washington has offered diplomatic support to Tokyo following the incident, the United States should accelerate its efforts to build deeper ties with Japan, both to secure a treaty ally and to assist Taiwan. In response to China’s rising regional military presence, Washington should expand efforts to establish a joint force headquarters in Japan, a move which would put Tokyo more on par with South Korea and offer greater integration between the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and U.S. personnel currently stationed in the theater.

The United States and Japan should also work closely together to deter a Taiwan crisis, particularly the possibility of a Chinese unannounced quarantine of the island. Both Washington and Tokyo should pre-coordinate crisis response mechanisms, including energy storage, maritime corridors, and logistical support to commercial shipping.

Jack Burnham is a senior research analyst in the China Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where Duncan Lazarow is an intern. For more analysis from the authors and FDD, please subscribe HERE. Follow Jack on X @JackBurnham802. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.