Approach by China Military Aircraft: Japan Expressing Concern Is Not Enough to Resolve Incidents

Editorial

17:14 JST, June 16, 2025

One misstep could have led to a grave situation. The Chinese military’s actions are utterly beyond the pale, and the Japanese government should voice its strong protest.

A fighter jet that took off from the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong sailing off the southern coast of Okinawa Prefecture in the Pacific Ocean tailed a Maritime Self-Defense Force P-3C patrol plane twice, approaching the Japanese plane and getting as close as about 45 meters on both occasions.

The Chinese aircraft followed the Japanese plane for about 40 minutes on June 7 and about 80 minutes on the following day. It also carried out a dangerous maneuver, flying across the MSDF plane’s path about 900 meters ahead of it on June 8.

The MSDF plane was engaged in surveillance operations of the Chinese aircraft carrier when the abnormal approach occurred.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has explained that the reconnaissance activities by the MSDF aircraft were the root cause of the risk, as if Japan were to blame for the incidents.

However, the Chinese aircraft carrier was found to have been sailing inside Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). It is only natural for the Self-Defense Forces to monitor the carrier’s movements. Beijing’s claim is completely illogical.

Japan has expressed its concern to China, but given the gravity of the situation, it should lodge a protest and demand an apology.

The problem is not limited to the fact that these abnormal approaches are dangerous.

The Chinese military had another aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, operating in waters near Minami-Torishima Island inside the EEZ at the same time the Shandong was active.

Both carriers had aircraft repeatedly taking off and landing from them. Apparently, the Chinese military was carrying out exercises to enhance its capabilities to operate aircraft carriers and fighter jets in the Pacific Ocean, which is far from China.

The Chinese military has regarded the area from the Ogasawara Islands to the south of Guam as the “second island chain” and the area from the Nansei Islands to the Philippines, which is closer to China, as the “first island chain.” In the event of a contingency, China plans to employ a strategy of blocking U.S. military movements between these two chains to prevent U.S. forces from entering areas west of the first island chain.

This was the first time that China had two aircraft carriers simultaneously deployed in the Pacific. It had one of the carriers advance east of the second island chain, which also marked the first such development.

Beijing’s move is seen as an attempt to expand its range of action and bring the western Pacific under its influence. China’s usual tactic is to try to turn its claims into a fait accompli by repeatedly making unilateral attempts to change the status quo.

It has been confirmed that mineral resources such as cobalt and nickel exist in large quantities in the seabed around Minami-Torishima Island. Perhaps China has ambitions to acquire these abundant resources for itself.

In recent years, the SDF has been working to strengthen the defense system for the Nansei Islands to deal with China’s hegemonic activities. The SDF will also need to allocate more resources to surveillance operations for islands in the Pacific.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 16, 2025)