Japan said on Sunday that Chinese fighter jets directed fire control radar at Japanese military aircraft in two incidents near the Okinawa islands, calling the moves dangerous. China denied the allegation.
Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said the radar use went beyond what is necessary for safe flight and that Japan had lodged a formal protest over Saturday’s incident.
Meeting Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles in Tokyo, Koizumi said Japan would respond resolutely and calmly to protect regional peace and stability.
China’s navy offered a different account. A spokesperson said Japanese aircraft had repeatedly approached and disrupted Chinese forces during previously announced carrier based flight training east of the Miyako Strait. He said Japan’s actions seriously endangered flight safety.
The incidents occurred near islands claimed by both countries and mark the most serious encounters between their militaries in years.
Tensions have risen further after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi warned that Japan could respond to any Chinese military action against Taiwan if it also threatened Japan’s security.
Fire control radar is used to guide weapons and signals a potential attack. Japan did not say whether a full lock on had occurred or how its aircraft responded.
Australia backed Japan. Marles said Canberra was deeply concerned by China’s actions and would continue working with Japan to support the rules based order.
China has also advised its citizens not to travel to Japan and has suspended plans to resume seafood imports halted after Japan released treated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant.
Taiwan lies just 110 kilometres from Japan’s westernmost island. China claims the island as its own and has stepped up military and political pressure. Taiwan rejects the claim.
Japan hosts the largest overseas presence of U.S. forces, including warships, aircraft and thousands of marines stationed in Okinawa.
Washington did not immediately comment on the radar incident. The U.S. ambassador to Japan has posted messages supporting Tokyo, while President Donald Trump has remained publicly silent.
Trump plans to visit Beijing next year for trade talks. Last month he urged Tokyo not to escalate tensions after speaking by phone with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Japan said the Chinese jets involved were J-15 fighters launched from the aircraft carrier Liaoning, which was operating south of Okinawa with three missile destroyers. Japan scrambled F-15 fighters in response.
Similar incidents have occurred before. In 2013 Japan said a Chinese warship locked fire control radar on one of its destroyers. In 2016 China accused Japanese jets of doing the same. In June this year Japan said Chinese jets flew dangerously close to one of its patrol aircraft near Okinawa.
On Thursday, more than 100 Chinese naval and coast guard vessels were deployed across East Asian waters at one time, according to sources cited by Reuters.
Taiwan said the build up posed a threat to the Indo Pacific region. Japan said it is monitoring the activity closely.
On Sunday, Taiwan’s coast guard said it was monitoring drills by three Chinese maritime safety ships west of the median line in the Taiwan Strait and that the situation remained normal.
Chinese state media said the drills were routine search and rescue operations in busy shipping areas. Taiwan accused China of using misleading wording to apply psychological pressure.
China says it exercises sovereignty over the Taiwan Strait, a key global trade route. The United States and Taiwan say the strait is an international waterway.
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