About the Dangerous Radar Lock-on Incident, China — Again — Tells Lies

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China has yet to admit fault in the recent dangerous incident in which a fighter jet taking off from a Chinese aircraft carrier employed its radar to intermittently lock onto a Japan Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) fighter jet that had scrambled to respond to a Chinese airspace violation.

Instead, the Chinese government has relied on an abundance of fatuous arguments to criticize Japan. 

Again, we would reiterate that the Chinese aircraft's intermittent radar illumination on December 6 was an extremely dangerous and provocative act. The Chinese government must sincerely apologize and pledge to prevent any recurrence.

China's Disinformation Campaign

The Chinese military has criticized the ASDF aircraft for approaching and disrupting its training. China even says it had officially announced in advance the sea and airspace where the training would be conducted. However, Japan's Ministry of Defense retorts that there was no such prior announcement. 

The Chinese military has also released the audio data associated with the December 9 incident. On December 6, before the start of flight training, the Chinese fleet centered on the aircraft carrier Liaoning announced via radio that "flight training for carrier-based aircraft will be conducted in accordance with the plan."

A voice message said to be from a Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) destroyer responded, "Message received." The Chinese side has cited this as evidence that Japan has been lying about the subsequent incident. It also insists that the radar illumination was for search purposes only.

The Plain Facts

Let us be perfectly clear: China's claims are completely false.

The Chinese military never once disclosed the date and time of the upcoming training. Nor did it disclose the training location by latitude and longitude.

To avoid danger to ordinary ships and aircraft, militaries normally announce accurate information about the sea and air areas where they plan to conduct training. In this case, such information should have been provided well in advance. That is what the NOTAM (notices to airmen) and navigation warning systems are for. However, the Chinese authorities neglected to do so. 

The insufficient and tardily issued audio data is evidence of the Chinese military's incompetence.

Moreover, the area over the international waters southeast of Okinawa Island ー where the incident occurred ー is within Japan's Air Defense Identification Zone, or ADIZ. Scrambling the ASDF aircraft was a perfectly legitimate action, whether or not China had issued a training notice, and whether or not any notice was accurate. 

Therefore, the Chinese side had absolutely no right to interfere with the flight of the ASDF aircraft or to illuminate it with fire control radar. Furthermore, China's claim that the illumination was for "search purposes" was disproved by the radar's intermittent use for illumination. 

Japan's Response

Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has repeatedly offered precise and accurate factual rebuttals to the Chinese assertions. He was also able to explain the situation to the defense ministers of the United States, Australia, and Italy, and the NATO Secretary General, and share his serious concerns with them. The Takaichi government should continue to take such appropriate measures to protect Japan's national interest.

Meanwhile, China engaged Russia to conduct a joint flight of nuclear-capable bombers on December 9 near the coast of Shikoku. Such blatant attempts at military intimidation are simply astonishing.

RELATED:

• Chinese Military Jet Locks Radar Twice on JSDF Aircraft in Latest Provocation
• Why is the Chinese Gov’t Allowing Anti-Japan Posts on Social Media? 
• Now Okinawa, like Taiwan, is On the Frontline

Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun

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