Japan lodged a formal protest with China after Chinese fighter jets flew dangerously close to its maritime patrol aircraft during two tense encounters over the Pacific, prompting concerns of potential mid-air collisions.

High-Risk Encounters Near Japanese Airspace

According to Japan’s defense ministry, on June 7 a Chinese J-15 fighter from the aircraft carrier Shandong shadowed a Japanese P-3C for 40 minutes. The next day, another J-15 crossed just 900 meters in front of a P-3C and reportedly closed in to within 45 meters—a highly provocative maneuver by military aviation standards.

The patrol aircraft, based in Okinawa, were conducting surveillance over international waters.

Tokyo Warns of Collision Risk

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters that Japan had “expressed serious concern to the Chinese side and solemnly requested prevention of recurrence.” The defense ministry attached close-up images of the J-15 to its public complaint and warned that “abnormal approaches by Chinese military aircraft could potentially cause accidental collisions.”

There was no reported damage or injuries.

Dual Carrier Operation Raises Alarm

The close encounters followed a rare simultaneous deployment of two Chinese aircraft carriers—Shandong and Liaoning—in the Pacific, marking a first for the Chinese navy. Japan interpreted this as a signal of China’s growing ambition to expand its operational footprint beyond its immediate coastal waters.

Beijing’s Response: Just “Routine Training”

China has downplayed the significance of the incidents, stating the carrier activities were part of “routine training” and not targeted at any country. Tensions between the two nations have flared repeatedly over contested maritime zones in the East China Sea and the broader Indo-Pacific.