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The Japanese prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, vowed to act "calmly and resolutely" following claims that People's Liberation Army jets targeted with fire-control radar Japanese F-15s southeast of Okinawa's main island over the past weekend.

A Dangerous Aerial Encounter Reported

Per Japan's Ministry of Defense, China's J-15 jets from the carrier Liaoning activated their targeting radar on Japanese F-15s twice last Saturday. This occurred took place at 1632 hours and was repeated approximately two hours. Officials stated that visual confirmation was not possible due to the distance, and confirmed that there was no damage or injuries were reported.

"It marked the first time Japan's Ministry of Defense has reported an event of this nature," a report noted. Military aircraft routinely employ radar systems to search and rescue.

Diplomatic Protest and Counter-Claims

Reacting to the allegations, the Chinese navy released a declaration rejecting them as "completely inconsistent with the facts." It demanded Tokyo to "immediately stop making false accusations." Instead, China claimed that Japanese Self-Defense Forces planes had "seriously endangered flight safety" by repeatedly approaching China's training zones. Beijing made no reference to any radar targeting.

A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry subsequently urged Tokyo to "halt its dangerous moves of interfering with China's normal drills and exercises."

Escalating Tensions and Broader Context

Relations between China and Japan have deteriorated markedly over the past month. This cooling came after PM Takaichi stated that hostilities against Taiwan could lead to the deployment of Japanese military should the situation presented an extreme danger to Japan.

Takaichi argued that Tokyo could invoke its right to collective defense, which involves coming to the aid of a partner under attack. The Prime Minister stated that her country had to "anticipate the most severe possibilities" in the Taiwan Strait.

Japan's Defense Minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, described the radar incident as "highly risky and deeply unfortunate." In a diplomatic move, China's envoy to Japan, Wu Jianghao, was summoned on Sunday.

A senior vice-foreign minister, Funakoshi Takehiro, made a "formal complaint" and demanded Beijing to "guarantee that similar actions do not recur."

Enduring Disputes

The two nations are also locked in a long-running sovereignty disagreement over the Senkaku Islands, called the Diaoyu by Beijing. These tiny, uninhabited islands lie in waters between Okinawa and Taiwan.

Furthermore, regional tensions continue. Tokyo is strengthening military and strategic ties with the US and its allies in the Asia-Pacific area, where several nations have similar maritime) disputes with Beijing.

China, in turn, maintains extensive sovereignty claims in the South China Sea, a posture that has drawn criticism and legal challenges.