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Japan accused a Chinese PLA fighter jet of 'radar illumination' against a Japanese Self-Defense Force jet, escalating the situation between China and Japan. On the evening of the 9th, 'Yuyuantan Tian', a media outlet under China’s CCTV, released an audio clip, claiming it proves the Japanese side deliberately interfered with Chinese training.
Yuyuantan Tian pointed out that on the 6th, China's Liaoning aircraft carrier group was conducting far-sea training east of the Miyako Strait, and had announced the training sea and air areas in advance. Before the training, they repeatedly notified Japanese ships nearby on site, and the Japanese ships replied that the information was received. The Chinese side criticized the Japanese side for maliciously hyping the so-called radar illumination and distorting the facts, questioning their intentions.
According to the audio released by Yuyuantan Tian, the Chinese side’s English message was: 'This is Chinese Navy Ship 101, my formation will conduct planned carrier-based flying training.' The Japanese side then replied in English: 'Chinese Ship 101, this is Japanese Ship 116, I have received your information.'
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun asked at a press conference on the 9th: 'Why did Japanese Self-Defense Force fighter jets need to appear in the area and create an incident that should never have happened? Was it a deliberate attempt to interfere with the normal exercises of the Chinese side and create tensions?'
On the 6th, Japanese Self-Defense Force fighter jets were twice subjected to radar illumination by carrier-based aircraft from China’s Liaoning, with Japan swiftly disclosing the incident early on the 7th, less than ten hours after it occurred. Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi lodged a strong protest with the Chinese side on the 7th.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated on the evening of the 7th that the Chinese military had already made its solemn position clear on this issue. The facts are crystal clear: 'Frequent close-in reconnaissance and interference by Japanese fighter jets against normal Chinese military activities is the biggest maritime and aerial security risk.' The Chinese side does not accept the so-called representations by Japan and has 'rejected them on the spot,' submitting counter-representations in both Beijing and Tokyo. It also urged the Japanese side to stop such dangerous acts of ‘interference’ in China’s normal exercises, 'stop all irresponsible false hyping and political manipulation.' Later that evening, Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao made a strong representation and protest to Japanese Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Takehiro Funakoshi.