Chinese Fighter Jets Monitor Japanese Patrol Planes Over Pacific

Over the weekend of June 7-8, 2025, Chinese J-15 fighter jets from the aircraft carrier Shandong closely monitored Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force P-3C patrol planes during surveillance missions over international waters in the Pacific Ocean. The Chinese jets maintained dangerously close distances, at times as near as 45 meters vertically and 900 meters horizontally, shadowing the Japanese aircraft for durations of 40 and 80 minutes on consecutive days. Japan's Defense Ministry expressed serious concern that these abnormal approaches risked mid-air collisions and lodged formal protests with Beijing, urging preventive measures. This incident coincided with the first simultaneous operations of two Chinese aircraft carriers, Shandong and Liaoning, in the Pacific, which Beijing described as routine training exercises. Tokyo views these maneuvers as a demonstration of China's expanding naval capabilities beyond its borders and recalled similar close encounters in 2014. The Japanese Ministry emphasized there was no damage or harm to its aircraft or personnel but highlighted the need to avoid such hazardous encounters in the future.