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The Japanese leader, Sanae Takaichi, vowed to respond "calmly and resolutely" following accusations that Chinese military jets targeted with fire-control radar Japanese fighter jets southeast of Okinawa's main island over the weekend.

A Concerning Incident Disclosed

As stated by Japan's Ministry of Defense, Chinese J-15 fighter aircraft from the carrier Liaoning engaged their targeting radar on Japanese F-15s on two occasions on Saturday. The first incident happened at 4:32 p.m. and occurred again about two hours. Officials stated that a visual sighting could not be obtained because of the distance, and confirmed that there was no damage or injuries occurred.

"This was the first time Japan's Ministry of Defense has reported such an incident," a report stated. Fighter jets commonly employ radar systems to target identification.

Official Protest and Counter-Claims

Reacting to Tokyo's claims, China's military issued a declaration dismissing the report as "completely inconsistent with the facts." The statement urged Tokyo to "cease making false accusations." Instead, China claimed that Japanese SDF planes had "seriously endangered flight safety" by repeatedly flying near China's exercise areas. The Chinese statement did not mention any radar targeting.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs later called on Tokyo to "immediately stop its dangerous moves of interfering with our routine drills and exercises."

Rising Tensions and Broader Context

Relations linking China and Tokyo have soured significantly in recent weeks. The downturn came after Prime Minister Takaichi stated that an attack on Taiwan could lead to the deployment of Japan's Self-Defense Forces should such a conflict presented an extreme danger to Japan.

She argued that Japan could exercise its legal authority to collective self-defence, which involves assisting a partner under attack. She emphasized that her country had to "anticipate the most severe possibilities" regarding the Taiwan Strait.

Japan's Defense Minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, labeled Saturday's encounter as "highly risky and deeply unfortunate." Subsequently, China's ambassador to Japan, Wu Jianghao, was called in the following day.

A senior vice minister for foreign affairs, Funakoshi Takehiro, lodged a "strong protest" and demanded Beijing to "guarantee that such acts do not recur."

Enduring Disputes

The two nations have a long-running territorial dispute over the islands, which are known as the Diaoyu by Beijing. These small, unoccupied islets lie between Okinawa and Taiwan.

Furthermore, regional tensions persist. Tokyo has been deepening military and strategic ties with the US and other allies in the Asia-Pacific area, a region where several countries have their own territorial and maritime disagreements with China.

Beijing, in turn, asserts vast territorial claims in adjacent seas, activities that has drawn criticism and legal challenges.