Japón protesta después de que un avión militar chino fijara su radar en cazas japoneses – Chicago Tribune
By MARI YAMAGUCHI
TOKIO (AP) — Japan has informed the country that it has protested against China after a military plane that shot down Chinese fighter jets in Liaoning fixed its radar on Japanese warplanes near the safe island of Okinawa, the last contact between the two countries, whose relations have recently deteriorated. Thanks to the Japanese representative’s comments on Taiwan.
The Japanese Defense Ministry announced that the Chinese J-15 military plane pointed its radar “intermittently” at Japanese F-15 planes on two occasions on Saturday: for three minutes in the late evening and for about 30 minutes overnight.
The radar blocking by part of the Chinese plane was detected by different Japanese planes that had been triggered in response to a possible airspace violation by part of China, the ministry said. No violations of Japanese airspace and no injuries or damage due to the incident are reported.
It is unclear whether the incident took place at the same Chinese J-15 on a few occasions.
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, briefing reporters in the country’s early hours, said Japan had protested China’s radar blocking, calling it “a dangerous act that exceeded the power necessary for safe aircraft operations.”
“The occurrence of the incident is extremely lamentable,” Koizumi said. “We have presented a strong protest against China and demanded strict preventive measures.”
No direct comment from the government or the ejército chino. Viernes, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Marina China operated with international law and others should not exaggerate its activities.
Relations between the two countries have been strained in recent weeks.
China was angered by a statement by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in November and said his killing could lead to China taking action against Taiwan, a self-governing island that Beijing claims as part of its territory.
The Liaoning passengers spent the week between the main island of Okinawa and the nearby island of Miyako as they conducted flights and plane rides across the Pacific.
The Japanese F-15 fighter jets, which committed an airspace violation, followed the Chinese planes at a safe distance and did not involve actions that could be interpreted as provocation, the Kyodo reporting agency said, citing defense officials.
Combat aircraft can use radars for search or fire control before launching missiles.
This appears to be the first instance of a radar blockade involving Japanese and Chinese military aircraft. In 2013, a Chinese warfighter trained radar on a Japanese destroyer, Kyodo said.
Elsewhere in the Pacific, the Philippine coast guard said China dispersed three Bengalis with a fishing plant plane on patrol in the South China Sea on Saturday. Chinese forces are scattered across Bengal to announce aircraft that are in the vicinity of those who consider their airspace over the disputed waters.
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Associated Press reporter Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this post.
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This story was translated into English by an AP editor with the help of a generative artificial intelligence tool.
