Japan has summoned China's ambassador to Tokyo after Chinese military jets locked radar onto Japanese aircraft near Okinawa, escalating tensions over Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent comments on Taiwan, reports AFP.
Takaichi, who made headlines last month suggesting Japan would intervene militarily in the event of a Chinese attack on Taiwan, sparked Beijing's ire. Taiwan is a self-governing island that China claims as part of its territory, with Beijing not ruling out the use of force to reunify it.
According to Japan’s Ministry of Defense, on Saturday, J-15 fighter jets from China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier twice locked their radar onto Japanese aircraft in international waters near Okinawa. Although no damage or injuries were reported, this was the first time Japan had publicly disclosed such an incident.
Radar locking by fighter jets is typically used for fire control, to identify targets and for search-and-rescue operations. Japan scrambled its F-15 jets in response, citing concerns over potential "airspace violations," Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said on Monday.
China’s navy countered the claim, saying the Japanese planes had "repeatedly approached" the Chinese Navy’s training area and caused disruption, putting flight safety at risk. In a statement, China’s military accused Japan of "slandering and smearing" its forces, calling Tokyo’s allegations "completely inconsistent with the facts."
On Sunday, Japan’s Vice Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi summoned Chinese Ambassador Wu Jianghao to the foreign ministry, lodging a formal protest over what Japan deemed "dangerous acts." Funakoshi demanded that China prevent similar incidents in the future. In response, China’s foreign ministry rejected Japan’s protest and issued a counter-protest through state news agency Xinhua.
Takaichi, who has been known for her hardline stance on China, reiterated Japan's position on Sunday, vowing that the country would "respond calmly and resolutely" to any further provocations.
The incident comes amid broader tensions between Japan and China, sparked in part by Takaichi’s remarks on Taiwan. Beijing has retaliated by advising its citizens to avoid travel to Japan and has even disrupted cultural exchanges, with some Japanese movies and performers facing bans. Last week, Japanese and Chinese vessels were involved in another standoff around disputed islands in the East China Sea, a longstanding flashpoint in the region.
While Beijing has refrained from imposing further economic sanctions on Japan, such as restricting rare earth exports, there are signs of growing economic strain. Reports from the Yomiuri Shimbun suggest that China's export permit procedures for rare earths—vital materials for electronics and electric vehicles—have become more delayed than usual. Japan’s government has acknowledged that China’s existing export controls are already causing disruptions to the global supply chain.
The diplomatic confrontation highlights the increasing friction between the two nations, which are engaged in a complex rivalry over geopolitical, economic, and security issues.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
