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The Japanese prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, vowed to respond "in a composed yet firm manner" after reports that Chinese military aircraft acquired a radar lock on Japan's F-15s south-east of the main island over the past weekend.

An Concerning Incident Reported

Per Japan's Ministry of Defense, China's J-15 jets operating from the carrier Liaoning activated its targeting radar on 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 could not be obtained because of the range involved, adding that there was no damage or injuries were reported.

"It marked an unprecedented instance Japan's Ministry of Defense has disclosed such an incident," a report stated. Fighter jets routinely use radar for target identification.

Official Objection and Counter-Claims

In response to the allegations, the Chinese military released a statement dismissing the report as "totally contrary to the facts." It urged Tokyo to "cease making false accusations." Instead, Beijing asserted that Japan's SDF aircraft had "posed a grave risk to flight safety" by consistently approaching China's training zones. The Chinese statement made no reference to a radar lock-on.

An official for the Chinese foreign ministry subsequently called on Japan to "immediately stop its provocative actions of interfering with China's normal drills and exercises."

Escalating Strains and Broader Context

Relations between Beijing and Tokyo have soured significantly in recent weeks. This cooling came after PM Takaichi remarked that hostilities against Taiwan could lead to the deployment of Japan's Self-Defense Forces should the situation presented an extreme danger to the nation.

Takaichi argued that Japan could exercise its legal authority to collective self-defence, meaning assisting a partner under attack. The Prime Minister stated that her country had to "prepare for the most severe possibilities" in the Taiwan Strait.

Japan's Defense Minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, labeled Saturday's encounter as "highly risky and deeply unfortunate." In a diplomatic move, the Chinese ambassador to Japan, Wu Jianghao, was summoned on Sunday.

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

Enduring Points of Contention

Japan and China are also locked in a protracted sovereignty disagreement over a group of Senkaku Islands, called the Diaoyu in China. The small, uninhabited islets lie in waters between Okinawa and Taiwan.

Furthermore, broader geopolitical tensions continue. Japan is deepening military and strategic ties with the US and its partners in the Asia-Pacific region, a region where a number of countries are engaged in similar maritime) disputes with China.

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