🔗 Share this article

The Japanese prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, vowed to act "in a composed yet firm manner" after reports that Chinese military jets targeted with fire-control radar Japan's fighter jets southeast of Okinawa's main island over the past weekend.

An Serious Aerial Encounter Detailed

According to the Japanese defence ministry, China's J-15 fighter aircraft from the aircraft carrier Liaoning engaged their targeting radar against Japanese F-15s twice on Saturday. The first incident took place at 1632 hours and was repeated approximately later. The ministry stated that visual confirmation was not possible because of the range involved, and confirmed that no damage or injuries were reported.

"It marked the first time the Japanese defence ministry has made public such an incident," a report noted. Military aircraft commonly use radar to target identification.

Diplomatic Objection and Counter-Claims

Reacting to the allegations, China's navy issued a statement dismissing the report as "completely inconsistent with the facts." The statement urged Tokyo to "immediately stop slandering and smearing." Conversely, China asserted that Japanese SDF planes had "seriously endangered flight safety" by consistently flying near its training zones. The Chinese statement made no reference to a radar lock-on.

An official for the Chinese foreign ministry subsequently called on Tokyo to "halt its dangerous moves of harassing China's normal military exercise and training."

Escalating Strains and Regional Context

Relations linking Beijing and Tokyo have soured markedly over the past month. The downturn came after PM Takaichi stated that an attack on Taiwan might trigger the dispatch of Japan's military if the situation posed an existential threat to Japan.

Takaichi insisted that Tokyo had the right to invoke its right to collective self-defence, meaning assisting an ally. She stated that her country had to "prepare for the most severe possibilities" in the Taiwan Strait.

Japan's defence minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, described the encounter as "highly risky and deeply unfortunate." In a diplomatic move, China's envoy to Japan, Wu Jianghao, was called in the following day.

A senior vice minister for foreign affairs, Funakoshi Takehiro, made a "formal complaint" and demanded the Chinese government to "ensure that similar actions are not repeated."

Enduring Points of Contention

The two nations are also locked in a protracted territorial dispute over the Senkaku Islands, which are known as the Diaoyu in China. These tiny, unoccupied islands lie in waters between Okinawa and Taiwan.

Additionally, regional frictions persist. Tokyo has been deepening military and strategic ties with the US and its partners in the Asia-Pacific area, where several countries are engaged in similar territorial and maritime disagreements with Beijing.

Beijing, for its part, asserts vast sovereignty claims in adjacent seas, a posture that has prompted international concern.