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Japan's leader, Sanae Takaichi, has pledged to act "in a composed yet firm manner" after reports that Chinese military aircraft acquired a radar lock on Japanese F-15s south-east of the primary island over the weekend.

An Concerning Incident Reported

According to the Japanese defence ministry, China's J-15 fighter aircraft operating from the aircraft carrier Liaoning engaged their targeting radar on Japan's F-15s on two occasions last Saturday. This occurred happened at 1632 hours and was repeated approximately two hours. The ministry stated that a visual sighting was not possible because of the distance, and confirmed that there was no damage or injuries were reported.

"This was an unprecedented instance Japan's Ministry of Defense has disclosed such an incident," a report stated. Military aircraft routinely employ radar systems to target identification.

Diplomatic Objection and Denials

Reacting to Tokyo's claims, China's military released a statement dismissing the report as "totally contrary to reality." It demanded Tokyo to "immediately stop slandering and smearing." Conversely, China claimed that Japan's Self-Defense Forces planes had "seriously endangered flight safety" by repeatedly approaching China's exercise areas. Beijing did not mention a radar lock-on.

An official for the Chinese foreign ministry subsequently urged Tokyo to "halt its provocative actions of interfering with our normal drills and exercises."

Rising Tensions and Broader Background

Ties linking Beijing and Japan have deteriorated markedly in recent weeks. The downturn followed PM Takaichi remarked that an attack on Taiwan could trigger the deployment of Japanese Self-Defense Forces if such a conflict posed an existential threat to the nation.

Takaichi argued that Japan could invoke its right to collective self-defence, meaning assisting an ally. The Prime Minister stated that her country had to "prepare for a worst-case scenario" in the Taiwan Strait.

The Japanese Defense Minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, described the radar incident as "dangerous and extremely regrettable." Subsequently, China's envoy to Japan, Wu Jianghao, was called in on Sunday.

Japan's vice-foreign minister, Funakoshi Takehiro, made a "strong protest" and urged the Chinese government to "ensure that such acts are not repeated."

Longstanding Points of Contention

Japan and China have a protracted sovereignty disagreement over a group of Senkaku Islands, called the Diaoyu by Beijing. The small, unoccupied islands lie between Okinawa and Taiwan.

Additionally, broader geopolitical tensions continue. Tokyo has been deepening military and strategic ties with the US and its partners in the Asia-Pacific region, a region where several nations are engaged in similar maritime) disagreements with Beijing.

Beijing, in turn, asserts extensive territorial claims in the South China Sea, activities that has drawn international concern.