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Japan's leader, Sanae Takaichi, committed to respond "with calm determination" after accusations that Chinese military aircraft acquired a radar lock on Japanese F-15s south-east of Okinawa's main island during the weekend.

A Serious Aerial Encounter Reported

As stated by the Japanese Ministry of Defense, Chinese J-15 fighter aircraft operating from the aircraft carrier Liaoning engaged its targeting radar against Japanese F-15s twice last Saturday. This occurred happened at 4:32 p.m. and occurred again about two hours. The ministry stated that a visual sighting could not be obtained due to the range involved, and confirmed that no damage or injuries were reported.

"It marked the first time the Japanese Ministry of Defense has made public an event of this nature," a report noted. Military aircraft routinely employ radar systems for search and rescue.

Diplomatic Objection and Denials

Reacting to the allegations, China's navy released a statement dismissing the report as "completely inconsistent with the facts." The statement demanded Japan to "immediately stop slandering and smearing." Conversely, Beijing asserted that Japan's Self-Defense Forces planes had "seriously endangered aviation safety" by repeatedly flying near its training zones. The Chinese statement made no reference to any radar targeting.

A spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs later called on Tokyo to "immediately stop its provocative actions of interfering with China's normal drills and exercises."

Rising Tensions and Broader Background

Ties linking Beijing and Tokyo have worsened markedly in recent weeks. The downturn followed PM Takaichi stated that an attack on Taiwan might trigger the deployment of Japan's military if such a conflict presented an existential threat to Japan.

Takaichi insisted that Japan could invoke its legal authority to collective self-defence, meaning assisting an ally. She emphasized that Japan had to "anticipate the most severe possibilities" regarding the Taiwan Strait.

Japan's defence minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, described the encounter as "dangerous and extremely regrettable." In a diplomatic move, the Chinese ambassador to Japan, Wu Jianghao, was called in the following day.

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

Enduring Points of Contention

Japan and China have a protracted sovereignty disagreement over a group of Senkaku Islands, called the Diaoyu in China. These tiny, uninhabited islets lie in waters between Okinawa and Taiwan.

Furthermore, broader geopolitical tensions persist. Tokyo is deepening military and strategic ties with American and other partners in the Indo-Pacific region, a region where several countries are engaged in similar maritime) disagreements with China.

Beijing, for its part, asserts extensive territorial claims in adjacent seas, activities that has drawn international concern.