US backs Japan in dispute with China over radar incident

[ad_1] US criticises China for radar concentrating on Japanese plane Incident follows Japan PM's remarks on potential Chinese language assault on Taiwan China accuses Japan of disrupting its navy throughout coaching WASHINGTON/TOKYO, Dec 10 (Reuters) - The USA has for the primary time criticised China for aiming radars at Japanese navy plane throughout a coaching train final week, incidents that the Asian neighbours have given differing accounts of amid escalating tensions. The run-in close to Japan's Okinawa islands comes after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi triggered a dispute with Beijing final month along with her remarks on how Tokyo would possibly react to a hypothetical Chinese language assault on Taiwan.

Enroll <a data-testid="Link" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/us-criticises-chinese-radar-incident-says-commitment-japan-unwavering-2025-12-10/undefined?location=article-paragraph&redirectUrl=%2Fworld%2Fchina%2Fus-criticises-chinese-radar-incident-says-commitment-japan-unwavering-2025-12-10%2F" class="text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC">here.

China claims democratically ruled Taiwan and has not dominated out utilizing drive to take management of the island, which sits simply over 100 km (62 miles) from Japanese territory and is surrounded by sea lanes that Tokyo depends on.

"China’s actions usually are not conducive to regional peace and stability," a State Division spokesperson mentioned late Tuesday, referring to the radar incident.

"The U.S.-Japan Alliance is stronger and extra united than ever. Our dedication to our ally Japan is unwavering, and we're in shut contact on this and different points."

Japan Chief Cupboard Secretary Minoru Kihara welcomed the feedback, saying they "show the robust U.S.-Japan alliance".

China's international ministry didn't instantly reply to a request for remark.

Japan late on Tuesday <a data-testid="Link" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/russian-bombers-join-chinese-air-patrol-near-japan-tokyo-beijing-tie-strains-2025-12-10/" class="text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC">scrambled jets to observe Russian and Chinese language air forces conducting joint patrols across the nation. MOST SERIOUS INCIDENT IN YEARS The Chinese language fighter jets aiming their radars on the Japanese planes on Saturday was probably the most critical run-in between the East Asian militaries in years.

Such strikes are seen as a threatening step as a result of it alerts a possible assault and will drive the focused airplane to take evasive motion. Tokyo blasted the strikes as "harmful".

Beijing, nevertheless, mentioned that the Japanese plane had repeatedly approached and disrupted the Chinese language navy because it was conducting beforehand introduced carrier-based flight coaching east of the Miyako Strait.

Talking to reporters in Taipei on Wednesday, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te mentioned China's drills have been "very inappropriate behaviour".

"We additionally name upon China to show the accountability befitting a significant energy. Peace is priceless; warfare has no winners. Peace should be fostered by all events, and China shares this accountability," he mentioned.

Relations between Asia's two largest economies have soured sharply since Takaichi instructed parliament final month {that a} Chinese language assault on Taiwan might quantity to a "survival-threatening state of affairs" and set off a possible navy response from Tokyo.

Beijing has demanded she retract the remarks, accused Tokyo of threatening it militarily and suggested its residents to not journey to Japan. U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass has publicly expressed assist for Japan in a number of social media posts for the reason that diplomatic dispute started, however President Donald Trump and different senior U.S. officers have remained silent.

Trump, who plans to go to Beijing subsequent yr for commerce talks, telephoned Takaichi final month, urging her not to escalate the dispute, folks with information of the matter instructed Reuters. Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis in Washington and John Geddie in Tokyo; Further reporting by Ben Blanchard in Taipei and Anton Bridge in Tokyo; Modifying by Tom Hogue and Stephen Coates

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Purchase Licensing Rights Daphne Psaledakis is a international coverage correspondent primarily based in Washington, D.C., the place she covers U.S. sanctions, Africa and the State Division. She has coated the rollout of U.S. sanctions on Russia after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Washington’s efforts to implement its sanctions and the U.S. response to the battle in Ethiopia, amongst different points. She beforehand coated European Union politics and power and local weather coverage for Reuters in Brussels as a part of an Abroad Press Membership Basis fellowship in 2019. Daphne holds a Bachelor of Journalism in Print and Digital Information and a Bachelor of Arts in Worldwide Research.

John is the lead author for Japan & Higher China, reporting on every thing from elections to earthquakes. Beforehand primarily based in Singapore and London, his work has obtained a number of journalism accolades, together with a 2022 SOPA Award for Excellence in Reporting on the Atmosphere.