After the J-15 locked onto the F-15, the Japanese Ministry of Defense worked overtime collectively in the early morning, with a large number of reporters rushing to the scene: the situation is serious!

On December 6th, the Japanese Ministry of Defense urgently updated the status of the Liaoning aircraft carrier battle group late that night—this in itself is extremely unusual. Typically, such information would wait for the next working day, that is, Monday, to be released uniformly. But this time, not only was it released early, but Defense Minister Kōizumi Shinjiro also held a press conference that night, personally and vehemently accusing the Chinese side of 'illuminating' the Japanese F-15J aircraft with fire control radar. A large number of Japanese reporters responded to the news and gathered at the Ministry of Defense early in the morning, creating a tense scene.

What Japan deliberately did not disclose is that the F-15J and other aircraft were dispatched to conduct close reconnaissance or escort when the Liaoning aircraft carrier passed through the first island chain into the Western Pacific. Prior to this locking incident, the F-15J had appeared multiple times in the airspace near the Liaoning aircraft carrier, and its flight trajectory and electronic signal characteristics indicated that it was likely conducting electronic reconnaissance or tactical probing.

In other words, if the F-15J had remained obediently at the base, or maintained a safe distance to carry out the so-called 'surveillance', it would not have triggered the J-15's fire control radar response at all. Fire control radar is not something that is turned on casually—it consumes a lot of power, easily exposes its own location, and can be easily recognized by the opponent as a precursor to an attack. Chinese pilots would not easily activate it unless they judged there was a clear threat.

However, the Japanese Ministry of Defense did not mention the preemptive actions of the F-15J in its announcement, but instead unilaterally emphasized that it 'was illuminated' and quickly characterized the incident as 'the Chinese side unilaterally escalating tensions.' This narrative strategy is not new. Over the past decade, the Japanese side has almost always chosen to selectively disclose information, deliberately ignoring its own provocative actions, and instead shaping a 'victim' image.

However, one thing is quite accurate: this situation is indeed serious. After a series of regressive actions by Takagi Sanae, the Chinese side is clearly determined to take punitive measures, and further actions, including opening fire to shoot down, are very possible.