Japan has summoned China’s ambassador in Tokyo after Japanese fighter jets were twice targeted by radar from Chinese military aircraft operating near Okinawa, an incident that underscores the increasingly brittle security environment in East Asia. The confrontation, confirmed Sunday by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and first reported by AFP, comes amid a broader deterioration in bilateral ties following the arrival of a new Japanese government willing to take a firmer stance toward Beijing.
According to Tokyo, two Chinese J-15 fighter jets launched from the aircraft carrier Liaoning directed their fire-control radars at Japanese aircraft in international airspace on Saturday — an action Japan described as “dangerous” and “deeply regrettable.” Radar-locking is considered an escalatory move in military aviation because it signals preparations to fire missiles, even if no weapons are launched.
China rejected Japan’s account, calling the accusation “entirely inconsistent with the facts.” In a statement carried by the state-run Xinhua News Agency, Beijing dismissed Tokyo’s protest and accused Japan of “dangerously harassing normal Chinese military exercises.” The opposing narratives highlight the degree to which both governments view air and maritime encounters through competing strategic lenses.
Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, issued a measured but firm response, pledging that her government would “monitor Chinese military movements at sea and in the airspace surrounding our country closely.” Her administration has signaled a more assertive security posture, particularly regarding Taiwan. Takaichi has stated publicly that Japan would not rule out military intervention should China invade the self-governed island — comments that prompted a sharp rebuke from Beijing, which regards Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory and has not renounced the use of force to achieve unification.
The radar-lock incident adds to a series of confrontations involving naval vessels and aircraft from both nations. Analysts say these episodes reflect deeper structural tensions: China’s expanding military footprint, Japan’s push to modernize its defense capabilities, and the shifting strategic balance in the Indo-Pacific. The East China Sea, home to disputed maritime zones and critical shipping lanes, has long been a flashpoint.
Diplomatically, the episode risks compounding an already fragile relationship. While both countries maintain extensive economic interdependence, political trust has eroded over issues ranging from Taiwan to maritime sovereignty. Japan’s summoning of the Chinese envoy — a formal gesture of protest — indicates Tokyo’s willingness to publicly challenge Beijing even as it seeks to avoid uncontrolled escalation.
Whether this latest confrontation will remain a contained diplomatic dispute or trigger additional military posturing remains unclear. But for regional observers, the incident is another reminder of how quickly routine military exercises can evolve into high-stakes episodes in a region where great-power competition increasingly defines the geopolitical landscape.