Chinese jets point radar at Japanese aircraft, Japan says
Japan on Sunday accused China of training military radar on Japanese fighter jets near Okinawa, adding to tensions between the two countries that have escalated over the last several weeks.
Japan’s defense minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, held an emergency news conference shortly after 2 a.m. on Sunday to detail the event and chastise the Chinese government, saying it had committed a “dangerous act.” Hours later, China disputed the account, saying that its navy had been holding training exercises in the area and that Japan’s claims were “inconsistent with the facts.”
China has unleashed a wave of political and economic reprisals against Japan in recent weeks over its support for Taiwan, a self-governed democracy that China claims as its territory. The feud has put the region on edge, with China stepping up patrols near disputed territories and vowing to “resolutely respond.”
Japan’s Defense Ministry said it recorded two separate inc
“This radar lock-on incident constitutes a dangerous act that exceeds the scope necessary for the safe flight of aircraft,” Mr. Koizumi said in a statement at the emergency meeting. “We view the occurrence of such an incident with utmost regret, and we have lodged a strong protest with the Chinese side while making a stern demand for measures to prevent any recurrence.”
Chinese officials took issue with Japan’s claim. Wang Xuemeng, a spokesman for the Chinese Navy, said in a statement that the Liaoning was carrying out “routine carrier-based fighter jet flight training” that had been announced in advance.
“We solemnly demand that Japan immediately cease its slander and smear campaign and strictly restrain its frontline actions,” Mr. Wang said. “The Chinese Navy will take necessary measures in accordance with the law to resolutely safeguard its own security and legitimate rights and interests.”
Relations between China and Japan deteriorated in early November, when Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, told the Japanese Parliament that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could incite a military response from Tokyo. China responded furiously, accusing Ms. Takaichi of crossing a “red line” and demanding a retraction.
Ms. Takaichi said on Sunday that the radar incident was “extremely regrettable.”
