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The Japanese prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, committed to respond "with calm determination" following accusations that Chinese military aircraft acquired a radar lock on Japan's fighter jets south-east of Okinawa's main island during the past weekend.

An Concerning Aerial Encounter Reported

According to the Japanese defence ministry, Chinese J-15 fighter aircraft from the carrier Liaoning engaged its targeting radar against Japan's F-15s twice last Saturday. The first incident happened at 4:32 p.m. and was repeated about two hours. The ministry stated that a visual sighting was not possible due to the range involved, adding that there was no damage or casualties were reported.

"It marked an unprecedented instance Japan's defence ministry has reported an event of this nature," a report stated. Military aircraft commonly use radar to search and rescue.

Diplomatic Objection and Counter-Claims

Reacting to the allegations, the Chinese navy issued a declaration rejecting the report as "totally contrary to the facts." The statement urged Japan to "immediately stop slandering and smearing." Conversely, China claimed that Japan's SDF planes had "posed a grave risk to aviation safety" by repeatedly flying near China's exercise areas. Beijing did not mention a radar lock-on.

A spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently called on Tokyo to "halt its dangerous moves of interfering with our normal drills and exercises."

Escalating Tensions and Broader Context

Ties linking China and Japan have soured significantly over the past month. This cooling followed Prime Minister Takaichi remarked that an attack on Taiwan could trigger the dispatch of Japan's Self-Defense Forces if the situation presented an existential threat to the nation.

She argued that Tokyo could invoke its legal authority to collective defense, which involves coming to the aid of a partner under attack. She stated that her country had to "prepare for the most severe possibilities" regarding the Taiwan Strait.

The Japanese Defense 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 on Sunday.

Japan's vice-foreign minister, Funakoshi Takehiro, made a "formal complaint" and demanded Beijing to "ensure that similar actions do not recur."

Enduring Points of Contention

Japan and China are also locked in a protracted territorial dispute over the islands, which are known as the Diaoyu by Beijing. The tiny, unoccupied islands lie between Okinawa and Taiwan.

Additionally, broader geopolitical tensions continue. Japan has been strengthening military and strategic ties with the US and its allies in the Indo-Pacific region, a region where a number of countries have similar territorial and maritime disagreements with Beijing.

China, for its part, maintains extensive sovereignty claims in the South China Sea, activities that has prompted criticism and legal challenges.