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The Japanese prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, committed to respond "with calm determination" after reports that People's Liberation Army aircraft locked their radar onto Japan's F-15s southeast of Okinawa's main island over the weekend.

An Dangerous Incident Detailed

As stated by Japan's defence ministry, Chinese J-15 jets from the aircraft carrier Liaoning activated their fire-control radar on Japanese F-15s twice last Saturday. This occurred took place at 1632 hours and was repeated approximately later. The ministry stated that a visual sighting was not possible because of the distance, and confirmed that no damage or injuries occurred.

"This was an unprecedented instance Japan's defence ministry has disclosed such an incident," a report noted. Military aircraft routinely employ radar systems for target identification.

Official Protest and Counter-Claims

In response to the allegations, the Chinese navy released a declaration rejecting the report as "totally contrary to reality." The statement urged Japan to "immediately stop slandering and smearing." Instead, Beijing asserted that Japanese Self-Defense Forces planes had "seriously endangered aviation safety" by consistently approaching China's exercise areas. The Chinese statement did not mention any radar targeting.

A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry later called on Tokyo to "immediately stop its dangerous moves of harassing our normal military exercise and training."

Escalating Strains and Broader Context

Ties linking China and Tokyo have worsened markedly in recent weeks. The downturn came after Prime Minister Takaichi stated that an attack on Taiwan could trigger the deployment of Japanese military if the situation presented an extreme danger to Japan.

She insisted that Japan could invoke its legal authority to collective self-defence, which involves 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 the radar incident as "dangerous and extremely regrettable." Subsequently, the Chinese ambassador to Japan, Wu Jianghao, was called in the following day.

Japan's vice-foreign minister, Funakoshi Takehiro, lodged a "formal complaint" and urged the Chinese government to "guarantee that similar actions do not recur."

Longstanding Points of Contention

The two nations are also locked in a protracted sovereignty disagreement over the islands, which are known as the Diaoyu in China. These tiny, unoccupied islands lie in waters between Okinawa and Taiwan.

Additionally, broader geopolitical tensions persist. Japan has been strengthening military and strategic ties with the US and other allies in the Asia-Pacific area, a region where several nations are engaged in their own maritime) disagreements with China.

Beijing, in turn, maintains extensive territorial claims in the South China Sea, a posture that has prompted criticism and legal challenges.