Japan Protests Chinese Radar Locks Near Okinawa as PLA Naval Buildup Widens

Overview

• Tokyo reported two separate incidents in which J-15 fighters from the carrier Liaoning intermittently locked fire-control radar onto Japanese F-15s near Okinawa.
• Japan lodged a formal protest and called the actions dangerous, while China denied wrongdoing and accused Japanese aircraft of disrupting announced carrier training.
• Regional intelligence and official statements described a Chinese naval and coast‑guard mobilization that at one point exceeded 100 vessels, with counts still above 90 later in the week.
• Taiwan said four Chinese naval formations were operating in the western Pacific and urged Xi Jinping to exercise restraint, calling the activity a threat to Indo‑Pacific stability.
• No injuries or damage were reported, and Beijing has not issued an official announcement of large-scale maneuvers despite the breadth of operations across the Yellow, East and South China Seas into the Pacific.