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

A Dangerous Aerial Encounter Disclosed

As stated by the Japanese Ministry of Defense, Chinese J-15 fighter aircraft operating from the aircraft carrier Liaoning engaged its fire-control radar against Japanese F-15s on two occasions last Saturday. The first incident took place at 1632 hours and occurred again approximately two hours. Officials stated that visual confirmation could not be obtained due to the distance, adding that there was no damage or injuries were reported.

"It marked an unprecedented instance Japan's defence ministry has disclosed an event of this nature," a report stated. Military aircraft commonly employ radar systems for tracking purposes.

Diplomatic Protest and Counter-Claims

Reacting to the allegations, the Chinese navy released a statement dismissing the report as "totally contrary to reality." It urged Japan to "immediately stop slandering and smearing." Instead, Beijing claimed that Japan's Self-Defense Forces aircraft had "seriously endangered flight safety" by consistently flying near its training zones. Beijing did not mention a radar lock-on.

An official for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently called on Japan to "halt its dangerous moves of interfering with our routine military exercise and training."

Rising Strains and Broader Background

Ties linking China and Japan have worsened significantly over the past month. This cooling came after Prime Minister Takaichi remarked that an attack on Taiwan might trigger the deployment of Japan's military if the situation presented an extreme danger to Japan.

She insisted that Japan could exercise its legal authority to collective self-defence, which involves assisting a partner under attack. She emphasized that her country had to "anticipate the most severe possibilities" regarding the Taiwan Strait.

Japan's defence minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, labeled Saturday's radar incident as "highly risky and deeply unfortunate." In a diplomatic move, the Chinese ambassador to Japan, Wu Jianghao, was called in on Sunday.

A senior vice minister for foreign affairs, Funakoshi Takehiro, lodged a "strong protest" and demanded Beijing to "ensure that such acts do not recur."

Longstanding Disputes

The two nations have a long-running sovereignty disagreement over a group of Senkaku Islands, which are known as the Diaoyu by Beijing. These small, uninhabited islets are situated between Okinawa and Taiwan.

Additionally, broader geopolitical tensions continue. Japan has been deepening cooperation with American and other allies in the Asia-Pacific area, a region where a number of nations have their own maritime) disagreements with China.

Beijing, for its part, asserts vast territorial claims in the South China Sea, activities that has prompted international concern.