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Japan's prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, vowed to respond "in a composed yet firm manner" after reports that Chinese military jets locked their radar onto Japan's fighter jets south-east of the primary island during the past weekend.

An Serious Aerial Encounter Reported

According to Japan's defence ministry, China's J-15 jets operating from the aircraft carrier Liaoning engaged its fire-control radar on Japan's F-15s twice last Saturday. The first incident happened at 1632 hours and occurred again approximately two hours. The ministry noted that a visual sighting could not be obtained because of the range involved, adding that no damage or casualties resulted.

"It marked an unprecedented instance the Japanese Ministry of Defense has reported an event of this nature," a report noted. Fighter jets commonly employ radar systems for tracking purposes.

Official Objection and Denials

Reacting to Tokyo's claims, China's navy issued a declaration rejecting the report as "totally contrary to reality." The statement urged Japan to "immediately stop slandering and smearing." Instead, Beijing claimed that Japan's Self-Defense Forces aircraft had "seriously endangered aviation safety" by consistently flying near its training zones. The Chinese statement made no reference to any radar targeting.

An official for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs later urged Tokyo to "halt its dangerous moves of interfering with China's normal drills and exercises."

Rising Tensions and Broader Context

Relations between China and Japan have deteriorated markedly in recent weeks. The downturn came after PM Takaichi stated that an attack on Taiwan could lead to the dispatch of Japanese Self-Defense Forces should such a conflict presented an existential threat to Japan.

Takaichi argued that Tokyo could invoke its right to collective self-defence, which involves coming to the aid of a partner under attack. She stated that Japan had to "prepare for the most severe possibilities" regarding the Taiwan Strait.

Japan's Defense Minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, described the radar incident as "dangerous and extremely regrettable." Subsequently, the Chinese envoy to Japan, Wu Jianghao, was summoned on Sunday.

Japan's vice-foreign minister, Funakoshi Takehiro, made a "strong protest" and demanded the Chinese government to "guarantee that similar actions do not recur."

Enduring Disputes

The two nations are also locked in a protracted territorial dispute over the Senkaku Islands, called the Diaoyu in China. These small, unoccupied islets are situated between Okinawa and Taiwan.

Additionally, regional tensions continue. Japan is deepening military and strategic ties with American and its partners in the Indo-Pacific region, a region where several nations are engaged in their own territorial and maritime disagreements with China.

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