Japan's JMSDF Monitors China's PLAN Carrier Activity Amid Close Interceptions

Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) has been closely monitoring the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) due to increased carrier activity. This summer, China deployed two aircraft carrier groups, an unprecedented move, with one incident involving a close interception of a Japanese surveillance aircraft.

The JMSDF has been tracking the PLAN's carriers, Liaoning and Shandong, as they operated together for the first time and ventured beyond the First Island Chain. Japanese surveillance aircraft, including the P-1, have been monitoring these movements. The P-1, a jet-powered aircraft, is replacing the older turboprop-engined P-3Cs. Currently, 35 P-1s and 27 P-3Cs are in service, with Japan planning to acquire 19 more P-1s in the coming years.

In a recent incident, Chinese fighter jets intercepted a Japanese surveillance aircraft at a distance as close as 45 meters. The PLAN pilot may have attempted to 'thump' the Japanese aircraft using wake turbulence. Japan's Ministry of Defense published a detailed report on the carriers' movements between May 25 and late June, including Liaoning's sail into the 200 nautical mile (230 mile) exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Minamitori-shima, a Japanese island in the Western Pacific.

The increased PLAN carrier activity has led to closer monitoring by the JMSDF. While Japan upgrades its surveillance aircraft fleet, incidents like the close interception highlight the need for vigilance and diplomatic dialogue to maintain regional stability.