TOKYO: Beijing’s actions are “not conducive to regional peace”, Japan’s defence minister and US counterpart Pete Hegseth agreed during a call after Chinese aircraft locked radar on Japanese jets near Taiwan, Tokyo said Friday.
The Dec 6 radar incident came after comments by PM Sanae Takaichi on Taiwan that infuriated China. It was followed this week by Chinese-Russian air patrols around Japan. Hegseth and Shinjiro Koizumi “exchanged candid views on the increasingly severe security situation in the Indo-Pacific region, including the radar incident,” Japan’s defence ministry said after the call. They “expressed serious concern over any actions to increase regional tensions, as China’s actions are not conducive to regional peace and stability”, the statement added.
Koizumi said he told Hegseth China was “disseminating information that is completely contrary to the facts” about the radar incident. “However, Japan has made clear it does not seek escalation and that we are responding calmly while making necessary rebuttals, and we are keeping the door open for dialogue.” Hegseth’s office said they had “discussed... China’s military activities” among other issues, including “Japan’s efforts to increase its defence spending”.
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