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Japan's prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, vowed to act "with calm determination" after reports that People's Liberation Army jets targeted with fire-control radar Japanese fighter jets south-east of the primary island over the past weekend.

A Concerning Aerial Encounter Detailed

As stated by the Japanese defence ministry, Chinese J-15 fighter aircraft operating from the aircraft carrier Liaoning activated their fire-control radar against Japanese F-15s twice on Saturday. This occurred took place at 4:32 p.m. and occurred again about two hours. The ministry noted that a visual sighting was not possible because of the distance, adding that there was no damage or injuries were reported.

"It marked the first time the Japanese defence ministry has disclosed an event of this nature," one news agency noted. Military aircraft commonly employ radar systems for tracking purposes.

Diplomatic Protest and Denials

Reacting to the allegations, the Chinese navy issued a statement dismissing them as "totally contrary to the facts." It demanded Tokyo to "cease slandering and smearing." Instead, China asserted that Japanese SDF planes had "seriously endangered flight safety" by consistently flying near its exercise areas. The Chinese statement made no reference to any radar targeting.

An official for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently urged Japan to "halt its provocative actions of interfering with our normal drills and exercises."

Rising Strains and Broader Background

Ties linking China and Japan have worsened significantly in recent weeks. The downturn came after PM Takaichi remarked that hostilities against Taiwan could trigger the deployment of Japan's Self-Defense Forces should the situation presented an existential threat to Japan.

Takaichi argued that Tokyo had the right to invoke its right to collective self-defence, meaning coming to the aid of a partner under attack. The Prime Minister stated that her country had to "anticipate a worst-case scenario" regarding the Taiwan Strait.

The Japanese defence minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, described the radar incident as "dangerous and extremely regrettable." In a diplomatic move, the Chinese envoy to Japan, Wu Jianghao, was summoned the following day.

Japan's vice-foreign minister, Funakoshi Takehiro, lodged a "formal complaint" and urged Beijing to "guarantee that such acts do not recur."

Enduring Points of Contention

Japan and China have a long-running territorial dispute over the islands, called the Diaoyu by Beijing. These small, uninhabited islets lie between Okinawa and Taiwan.

Additionally, broader geopolitical frictions continue. Tokyo is strengthening military and strategic ties with the US and its allies in the Indo-Pacific region, a region where several countries have similar maritime) disagreements with Beijing.

China, for its part, maintains extensive territorial claims in adjacent seas, a posture that has drawn criticism and legal challenges.