Azernews.Az

Japan’s defence ministry reported on Sunday that Chinese military aircraft targeted Japanese fighter jets with fire-control radar in airspace southeast of Okinawa. The ministry said Chinese J-15 fighters twice locked their radar onto Japanese jets on Saturday, though no damage or injuries were recorded.

China rejected the accusation, calling Tokyo’s account “completely at odds with the facts” and demanding that Japan cease “slandering and smearing” Beijing.

Tensions between the two countries have risen after Japan’s new Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, suggested that Tokyo could use military force if China were to attack Taiwan. Beijing summoned Japan’s ambassador last month in response to her remarks.

Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi condemned the radar lock-ons as “dangerous and extremely regrettable,” saying Japan has filed a formal and strong protest with China.

The two sides remain at odds over the Senkaku Islands — known in China as the Diaoyu — a group of uninhabited islets located between Okinawa and Taiwan, which both countries claim.

The latest incident occurred as Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles visited Japan. After meeting Koizumi, Marles expressed “deep concern” about China’s actions in the past day. He noted that Canberra had managed to “stabilise” its relationship with Beijing by maintaining a calm and consistent approach but stressed that Australia would still “disagree where we must.”

Marles also toured Mitsubishi’s Nagasaki shipyard, months after Australia inked a $6 billion contract to acquire 11 advanced warships from the Japanese manufacturer.