Japan Denies China's Claim of Military "Provocation"

Japan has strongly rejected China's accusation that a Japanese warship acted provocatively near Taiwan. The dispute centers on an incident last week. China's defense ministry stated a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) ship used its fire-control radar on a Chinese naval vessel. In military terms, directing such radar is often seen as a step just before actual firing. Japan's defense ministry issued a detailed rebuttal on Friday. Officials called China's claim "completely untrue." They presented evidence, including radio communication records. The Japanese account states their ship used regular monitoring radar, not fire-control radar, while observing Chinese naval exercises. The incident occurred in the East China Sea, southwest of Japan's Kyushu island. This area is near the disputed Senkaku Islands, which Japan controls but China claims and calls the Diaoyu Islands. Tokyo maintains its actions were safe and professional. It accused the Chinese vessel of approaching the Japanese ship, raising tensions. This public disagreement highlights ongoing friction between the two major Asian powers in these strategic waters.