China-Japan Tensions Soar: Joint Air Patrols & Radar Lock Incidents

• Joint China-Russia military aircraft conducted "long-range joint flights" near Japan, prompting Japanese fighter jet scrambles.
• Chinese navy jets locked fire-control radar on Japanese F-15s twice in December, which Japan condemned as "dangerous" and protested.
• Japan has been deploying missile batteries and combat facilities across its Ryuku islands amid rising regional tensions.
• The East China Sea and disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands remain a flashpoint, with increased Chinese coast-guard patrols.
• Despite military and diplomatic friction, China and Japan maintain substantial bilateral trade, valued at $292.6 billion in 2024.

Why It Matters: Military provocations and historical disputes heighten dangerous regional instability.