This handout photo taken on July 9, 2025 and received on July 11, 2025 from Japanâs Ministry of Defence shows a Chinese JH-7 fighter-bomber flying close to a Japan Air Self-Defence Force YS-11EB intelligence-gathering aircraft on surveillance over the high seas in the East China Sea.
| Photo Credit: AFP
Japan has demanded China to stop flying its fighter jets abnormally close to Japanese intelligence-gathering aircraft, which it said was happening repeatedly and could cause a collision.
Japanâs Defence Ministry said a Chinese JH-7 fighter-bomber flew as close to 30 metres (98 feet) to a YS-11EB electronic-intelligence aircraft of the Japan Air Self-Defence Force on Wednesday (July 9, 2025) and Thursday (July 10, 2025). The Ministry said it occurred outside Japanese airspace over the East China Sea and caused no damage to the Japanese side.
China had no immediate comment on the latest incident.
Previously, Beijing has alleged Japan flew close to its aircraft and was spying on Chinaâs ordinary military activity and demanded Japan stop its actions.
Japan is concerned about Chinaâs acceleration of its military buildup, especially in Japanâs southwestern areas.
Japanâs Foreign Ministry said in a statement late on Thursday that its Vice Minister Takehiro Funakoshi expressed âserious concernâ to Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao and strongly requested Beijing to stop the activity that could âprovoke accidental collisionsâ and strongly urged China to ensure that similar actions are not repeated.
The countries traded accusations over similar close encounters last month. Japan said a Chinese combat aircraft flew extremely close to Japanese navy P-3C surveillance aircraft over the Pacific Ocean, where two Chinese aircraft carriers were seen operating together for the first time.
Published â July 11, 2025 08:22 am IST
