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Japan's prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, vowed to act "calmly and resolutely" after reports that Chinese military jets acquired a radar lock on Japanese fighter jets south-east of Okinawa's primary island over the past weekend.

A Dangerous Aerial Encounter Detailed

Per Japan's defence ministry, Chinese J-15 jets from the carrier Liaoning activated its fire-control radar on Japan's F-15s twice last Saturday. The first incident took place at 1632 hours and occurred again approximately two hours. The ministry noted that a visual sighting was not possible because of the range involved, adding that no damage or injuries resulted.

"It marked an unprecedented instance the Japanese Ministry of Defense has made public an event of this nature," a report noted. Military aircraft routinely use radar to tracking purposes.

Diplomatic Objection and Denials

In response to the allegations, the Chinese military released a declaration rejecting the report as "totally contrary to the facts." The statement demanded Tokyo to "cease making false accusations." Conversely, China asserted that Japan's SDF aircraft had "posed a grave risk to flight safety" by repeatedly flying near its exercise areas. Beijing did not mention any radar targeting.

An official for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs later called on Tokyo to "halt its dangerous moves of harassing our normal drills and exercises."

Escalating Tensions and Broader Context

Relations between Beijing and Japan have soured significantly in recent weeks. This cooling came after Prime Minister Takaichi remarked that hostilities against Taiwan might lead to the dispatch of Japan's Self-Defense Forces if such a conflict posed an existential threat to the nation.

She insisted that Japan had the right to exercise its legal authority to collective self-defence, which involves assisting a partner under attack. The Prime Minister stated that Japan had to "prepare for the most severe possibilities" regarding the Taiwan Strait.

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

Japan's vice minister for foreign affairs, Funakoshi Takehiro, made a "strong protest" and urged Beijing to "ensure that similar actions do not recur."

Longstanding Points of Contention

Japan and China have a protracted sovereignty disagreement over the Senkaku Islands, called the Diaoyu in China. The small, unoccupied islets are situated between Okinawa and Taiwan.

Additionally, regional tensions persist. Tokyo has been deepening cooperation with American and its partners in the Asia-Pacific region, a region where several countries are engaged in similar territorial and maritime disagreements with Beijing.

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