- Japan has condemned China's “close approaches” after Chinese J-15 fighters flew dangerously near to a Japanese P-3C patrol plane monitoring the Shandong aircraft carrier over the Pacific.
- The Japanese defence ministry stated that the J-15 fighters tailed the surveillance aircraft for 40 and 80 minutes, respectively, with one instance of a jet crossing 900 metres in front of the P-3C’s flight path.
- Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Japan raised serious concerns with China, urging them to prevent such incidents.
- Japan delayed disclosing the encounters to interview the P-3C's crew and assess flight data, while also reporting that two Chinese aircraft carriers, Liaoning and Shandong, were conducting simultaneous operations in the Pacific.
- China confirmed its carriers were training to test capabilities in far seas defence and joint operations, stating the exercises were routine and not targeting any specific country.
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Japan says Chinese fighter jets risked collision after close encounter over Pacific
