Tokyo, Dec 12  Japanese Defense Minister Shinjirō Koizumi and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth held telephone talks on Friday, sharing serious concerns over a recent radar lock incident involving Chinese military aircraft.
On December 6, at least one Chinese fighter jet intermittently targeted its radar at Japanese Air Self-Defense Force aircraft over international waters off Okinawa Prefecture in southwestern Japan.
The two defense chiefs discussed the Dec. 6 radar incident and the “increasingly severe security situation” in the region, according to a statement from Japan’s Defense Ministry.
The two defense chiefs spoke for about 40 minutes to discuss the incident and other matters, agreeing that Japan and the US will maintain close communication to calm the situation.
Koizumi said, “Japan will continue to diligently conduct patrols and surveillance around the country and respond calmly and resolutely to any contingencies.”
Both leaders expressed the view that China’s actions are not conducive to regional peace and stability. They reaffirmed that Japan and the US will closely coordinate and communicate with each other.

Koizumi and Hegseth also emphasized their commitment to enhancing the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-USalliance with a sense of urgency.
The US Department of War relased a statement on the talks, stating that the two leaders discussed Japan’s efforts to increase defense spending and strengthen its capabilities, China’s military activities, and the importance of realistic training and exercises across Japan, including in the Southwest Islands.
Both leaders reaffirmed the importance of the U.S.-Japan alliance and their commitment to deterring aggression in the Asia-Pacific region.
Tokyo said that Chinese fighter jet intermittently locked its fire-control radar on Japanese planes over international waters in two incidents over a span of around 30 minutes on Saturday.
As per Tokyo media reports, Koizumi islikely to visit the U.S. as early as the beginning of next year for in-person talks with Hegseth.
Koizumi told reporters that Japan will inform the international community of its stance in an appropriate and timely manner. He added that he will continue to strongly urge China to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.