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Japan's leader, Sanae Takaichi, vowed to act "calmly and resolutely" following accusations that People's Liberation Army jets locked their radar onto Japanese fighter jets southeast of Okinawa's primary island during the weekend.

An Dangerous Incident Disclosed

According to the Japanese defence ministry, Chinese J-15 fighter aircraft operating from the aircraft carrier Liaoning activated its fire-control radar against Japan's F-15s twice on Saturday. The first incident happened at 1632 hours and occurred again approximately two hours. The ministry stated that a visual sighting was not possible because of the distance, and confirmed that no damage or injuries resulted.

"This was the first time Japan's defence ministry has reported an event of this nature," one news agency noted. Military aircraft commonly use radar to search and rescue.

Diplomatic Objection and Denials

Reacting to Tokyo's claims, the Chinese military released a declaration rejecting the report as "totally contrary to the facts." The statement demanded Japan to "cease slandering and smearing." Instead, Beijing claimed that Japanese Self-Defense Forces planes had "seriously endangered flight safety" by repeatedly approaching China's exercise areas. The Chinese statement did not mention a radar lock-on.

A spokesperson for China's foreign ministry subsequently called on Tokyo to "halt its provocative actions of harassing our routine drills and exercises."

Rising Strains and Regional Background

Ties linking China and Tokyo have soured significantly in recent weeks. This cooling followed Prime Minister Takaichi remarked that hostilities against Taiwan could lead to the deployment of Japanese Self-Defense Forces if such a conflict posed an extreme danger to Japan.

She argued that Tokyo could exercise its right to collective defense, meaning assisting an ally. She emphasized that Japan had to "prepare for the most severe possibilities" regarding the Taiwan Strait.

Japan's defence minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, labeled Saturday's radar incident as "highly risky and deeply unfortunate." In a diplomatic move, China's envoy to Japan, Wu Jianghao, was called in the following day.

A senior vice-foreign minister, Funakoshi Takehiro, lodged a "strong protest" and urged the Chinese government to "ensure that similar actions do not recur."

Enduring Points of Contention

The two nations are also locked in a long-running sovereignty disagreement over the Senkaku Islands, called the Diaoyu in China. These small, unoccupied islets are situated between Okinawa and Taiwan.

Furthermore, regional frictions continue. Japan has been strengthening military and strategic ties with American and its partners in the Asia-Pacific region, where a number of countries have their own territorial and maritime disputes with China.

Beijing, for its part, asserts vast territorial claims in the South China Sea, activities that has prompted criticism and legal challenges.