Radar locked | Japan Daily Briefing
Japan protests risky encounter between Japanese and Chinese aircraft, while deepening defense ties with Australia
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Good morning in Japan and good Sunday evening in the US. This edition of Japan Daily Briefing looks at some things to watch this week — several economic reports have already been released — as well as the continuing tensions between Japan and China after a Chinese fighter targeted Japanese fighters with radar, a defense ministerial with Australia, and efforts by opposition parties to coordinate their candidates for the next general election.
The week ahead
The House of Representatives budget committee will begin deliberations on the FY2025 supplemental budget on Monday, 8 December.
The Ministry of Finance released October balance of payments data on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet Office released revised Q3 GDP figures – which were revised downward – and will release the November economy watchers survey later on Monday.
The Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare released October wage data, showing that real wages fell for the tenth straight month.
Beijing keeps pressure on Tokyo with radar lock incident
The Ministry of Defense reported on Sunday, 7 December that on Saturday a Chinese J-15 fighter launched from the PLA Navy aircraft carrier Liaoning, operating in international waters near Okinawa, targeted separate Japanese F-15 fighters with its radar twice within two hours.
The Takaichi government criticized Beijing in strong terms. Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjirō said this was “dangerous conduct” and “extremely regrettable.” The Foreign Ministry summoned Chinese ambassador and lodged a strong protest. The Foreign and Defense ministries also registered protests with lower-level Chinese embassy officials. Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae echoed these sentiments in remarks to reporters, and said that Japan would respond “coolly and resolutely.”
The incident, the third radar lock episode involving Japan’s armed forces (after a previous incident with the PLA in 2013 and South Korean forces in 2018) suggests that there are still no signs that the tensions between Tokyo and Beijing will abate, as China continues to express its displeasure with Takaichi’s remarks about Japan’s involvement in a potential Taiwan contingency. It is also unlikely to harm Takaichi’s domestic standing as she signals her resolve in resisting Chinese pressure.
