China Claims Japan Orchestrated Radar Incident; Japan Issues Denial

By Keiichiro Azuma / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

14:05 JST, December 11, 2025

BEIJING — “It was the Japanese side that was first to deliberately engage in harassment and then spread disinformation,” Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told reporters Wednesday, referring to an incident in which Chinese aircraft directed their radar at Self-Defense Force jets. “Japan is the provocateur and is responsible for orchestrating this political stunt.”

China’s military said on social media that Japanese jets “threw themselves into the search range of Chinese radar and detected the radar search signal.” It further claimed that Chinese aircraft detected Japanese radar signals.

The Chinese military has insisted that it notified Japan in advance of aircraft training, releasing audio on social media Tuesday that it claims is from a radio exchange between the Chinese military and the Self-Defense Forces prior to the start of training.

In the audio, a Chinese naval vessel appears to address an SDF vessel in Chinese and English: “Our formation organizes shipborne aircraft flight training as planned.” The Japanese side responds in English: “I copied your message.”

Japan’s defense minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, rebutted China’s claims at an emergency press conference on Wednesday, asserting that there was no prior notification from the Chinese side regarding the time or location of the exercise. Koizumi also denied that the Air Self-Defense Force’s fighter jets directed their radar at the Chinese aircraft.

Noting that Saturday’s exercise was conducted in waters around Okinawa Island, Koizumi said, “It is natural for the SDF to take measures against airspace violations, regardless of whether prior notification was given.

“What really matters is that the Chinese side directed its radar intermittently for about 30 minutes.”

He again urged China to prevent further incidents.