China fighters within metres of Japan military planes 
OP-3C surveillance plane (google)
Tokyo ★ Chinese fighter jets flew within a few dozen metres of Japanese military planes over the East China Sea, Japanese officials said today, prompting the defence minister to accuse Beijing of going "over the top" in its approach to disputed territory.
Chinese SU-27 fighters came as close as 50 metres (170 feet) to a Japanese OP-3C surveillance plane near disputed islets on Saturday and within 30 metres of YS-11EB electronic intelligence aircraft, the ministry said.
"Closing in while flying normally over the high seas is impossible," Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera told reporters in comments broadcast on TV Asahi.
"This is a close encounter that is outright over the top."
Onodera said Japan conveyed its concerns to the Chinese side through diplomatic channels. He also said the Chinese planes were carrying missiles.
A ministry official said it was the closest Chinese warplanes had come to aircraft of Japan's Self-defence force.
China's foreign ministry could not be immediately reached for comment.
Tensions have been running high between China and its neighbours over Beijing's assertive stand on claiming land and sea territory.
China lays claim to Japanese-administered islets in the East China Sea, known as Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese. It is also pressing its claim to almost all the South China Sea, brushing aside claims by several southeast Asian states.
China's proclamation last November of an air defence zone covering disputed islands and areas in the South China Sea have raised concerns that a minor incident in disputed areas could quickly escalate.
Sino-Japanese ties have long been strained by allegations in China that Japan has not properly atoned for its wartime aggression and by the spat over the uninhabited islands.
Japan scrambled fighter jets against Chinese planes 415 times in the year ended in March, up 36 percent on the year, while in waters near the disputed islands, patrol ships from both countries have been playing cat-and-mouse, raising fears of an accidental clash.
Japanese land, sea and air forces joined last week to simulate the recapture of a remote island, underscoring Tokyo's concerns about the security of the islets.
Tensions between China and its neighbours have also risen sharply in the South China Sea in recent weeks, following the deployment of a Chinese oil rig in waters also claimed by Vietnam. The deployment sparked anti-Chinese riots in Vietnam.
The Philippine foreign ministry this month accused China of reclaiming land on a disputed reef in the South China Sea and said it appeared to be building an airstrip. --REUTERSChina fighters in "dangerous" brush with Japanese planes
Chinese SU-27 fighters (google)
Japan on Sunday accused China of "dangerous" manoeuvres above disputed areas of the East China Sea, saying a Chinese fighter flew within roughly 30 metres (100 feet) of a Japanese military aircraft.
A defence ministry spokesman said a Chinese Su-27 jet on Saturday flew close to a Japanese OP-3C surveillance plane above the waters where the countries' air defence identification zones overlap.
Another Chinese SU-27 fighter also flew close to a Japanese YS-11EB plane in the same airspace, the ministry said.
One fighter jet approached to within about 50 metres and the other was as close as 30 metres to the Japanese planes, according to the spokesman.
Relations between Japan and China are strained by a territorial dispute over Tokyo-controlled islands in the East China Sea.
Beijing raised regional tensions in November by declaring an air defence identification zone covering the area, which overlaps a similar Japanese zone.
"They were dangerous acts that could lead to an accident," Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera told reporters on Sunday.
"The Japanese crew reported that the fighters were flying with missiles, which raised the tension as they handled the situation."
Tokyo protested to Beijing over the incident through diplomatic channels, he said.
The Chinese fighters did not enter the Japanese zone, according to the Asahi Shimbun daily.
The two Japanese aircraft were monitoring a joint naval drill by China and Russia in the northern East China Sea near Japanese territorial waters, Kyodo News said.
Chinese state-owned ships and aircraft have periodically approached the Senkaku islands, which China also claims and calls the Diaoyus, to assert Beijing's claim to them.
China's defence ministry said two Japanese planes entered China's air defence identification zone on Saturday, "interfering with joint naval exercises between China and Russia" for which a "no fly" notice had been issued.
Chinese aircraft were scrambled to "identify and take protective measures" against the Japanese planes, the ministry said in a statement on its website.
China has made representations to Japan asking it to "respect the legitimate rights of the Chinese and Russian navy", it said.
China and Russia started joint naval exercises on Tuesday as their leaders promised to strengthen relations in the face of international criticism over their territorial disputes.
The exercises ended on Sunday.
OP-3C surveillance plane (google)Tokyo ★ Chinese fighter jets flew within a few dozen metres of Japanese military planes over the East China Sea, Japanese officials said today, prompting the defence minister to accuse Beijing of going "over the top" in its approach to disputed territory.
Chinese SU-27 fighters came as close as 50 metres (170 feet) to a Japanese OP-3C surveillance plane near disputed islets on Saturday and within 30 metres of YS-11EB electronic intelligence aircraft, the ministry said.
"Closing in while flying normally over the high seas is impossible," Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera told reporters in comments broadcast on TV Asahi.
"This is a close encounter that is outright over the top."
Onodera said Japan conveyed its concerns to the Chinese side through diplomatic channels. He also said the Chinese planes were carrying missiles.
A ministry official said it was the closest Chinese warplanes had come to aircraft of Japan's Self-defence force.
China's foreign ministry could not be immediately reached for comment.
Tensions have been running high between China and its neighbours over Beijing's assertive stand on claiming land and sea territory.
China lays claim to Japanese-administered islets in the East China Sea, known as Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese. It is also pressing its claim to almost all the South China Sea, brushing aside claims by several southeast Asian states.
China's proclamation last November of an air defence zone covering disputed islands and areas in the South China Sea have raised concerns that a minor incident in disputed areas could quickly escalate.
Sino-Japanese ties have long been strained by allegations in China that Japan has not properly atoned for its wartime aggression and by the spat over the uninhabited islands.
Japan scrambled fighter jets against Chinese planes 415 times in the year ended in March, up 36 percent on the year, while in waters near the disputed islands, patrol ships from both countries have been playing cat-and-mouse, raising fears of an accidental clash.
Japanese land, sea and air forces joined last week to simulate the recapture of a remote island, underscoring Tokyo's concerns about the security of the islets.
Tensions between China and its neighbours have also risen sharply in the South China Sea in recent weeks, following the deployment of a Chinese oil rig in waters also claimed by Vietnam. The deployment sparked anti-Chinese riots in Vietnam.
The Philippine foreign ministry this month accused China of reclaiming land on a disputed reef in the South China Sea and said it appeared to be building an airstrip. --REUTERSChina fighters in "dangerous" brush with Japanese planes
Chinese SU-27 fighters (google)Japan on Sunday accused China of "dangerous" manoeuvres above disputed areas of the East China Sea, saying a Chinese fighter flew within roughly 30 metres (100 feet) of a Japanese military aircraft.
A defence ministry spokesman said a Chinese Su-27 jet on Saturday flew close to a Japanese OP-3C surveillance plane above the waters where the countries' air defence identification zones overlap.
Another Chinese SU-27 fighter also flew close to a Japanese YS-11EB plane in the same airspace, the ministry said.
One fighter jet approached to within about 50 metres and the other was as close as 30 metres to the Japanese planes, according to the spokesman.
Relations between Japan and China are strained by a territorial dispute over Tokyo-controlled islands in the East China Sea.
Beijing raised regional tensions in November by declaring an air defence identification zone covering the area, which overlaps a similar Japanese zone.
"They were dangerous acts that could lead to an accident," Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera told reporters on Sunday.
"The Japanese crew reported that the fighters were flying with missiles, which raised the tension as they handled the situation."
Tokyo protested to Beijing over the incident through diplomatic channels, he said.
The Chinese fighters did not enter the Japanese zone, according to the Asahi Shimbun daily.
The two Japanese aircraft were monitoring a joint naval drill by China and Russia in the northern East China Sea near Japanese territorial waters, Kyodo News said.
Chinese state-owned ships and aircraft have periodically approached the Senkaku islands, which China also claims and calls the Diaoyus, to assert Beijing's claim to them.
China's defence ministry said two Japanese planes entered China's air defence identification zone on Saturday, "interfering with joint naval exercises between China and Russia" for which a "no fly" notice had been issued.
Chinese aircraft were scrambled to "identify and take protective measures" against the Japanese planes, the ministry said in a statement on its website.
China has made representations to Japan asking it to "respect the legitimate rights of the Chinese and Russian navy", it said.
China and Russia started joint naval exercises on Tuesday as their leaders promised to strengthen relations in the face of international criticism over their territorial disputes.
The exercises ended on Sunday.
★ nst | channelnewsasia
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