Japan summoned China’s envoy on Friday for the third time this year as a row over disputed islands that this week drew in the two nations’ navies descended into a bitter war of words.
Tokyo says a Chinese frigate got a radar lock on one of its destroyers in international waters last month, a procedure known as “painting” that is necessary to fire modern weapons systems.
Beijing’s flat denial on Friday sparked an angry reaction in Japan, where Vice Foreign Minister Chikao Kawai told Ambassador Cheng Yonghua the response was “totally unacceptable”.
Beijing for its part has accused Tokyo of hyping the “China threat” in a bid to manipulate world public opinion against its giant neighbour.
The radar incident, which Japan said happened last week, marked the first time the two nations’ navies have locked horns in the spat over the Tokyo-controlled Senkakus, which China claims as the Diaoyus.
Tokyo also charges a Chinese frigate “painted” one of its helicopters in the middle of last month.
