Chinese fighter jets buzzing Japanese aircraft: ‘a new status quo’?
Such moves signal to Japan that China is willing to monitor and challenge Japanese activities in areas it considers to be its territory, analysts warn

According to Japan’s Defence Ministry, a Chinese JH-7 fighter-bomber flew within 70 metres of an Air Self-Defence Force YS-11EB electronic surveillance aircraft on Wednesday and maintained that position for about 15 minutes. A similar approach took place the following day and lasted about 10 minutes.
Tokyo lodged a formal protest with Beijing on Thursday, calling the behaviour “abnormal” and warning that such close contact risked “accidental collisions”. It urged Chinese authorities to take steps to prevent a repeat of the incidents.

Analysts say the incidents reflect a longer-term shift in China’s regional posture.