TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday demanded an apology from China over what it claims that a Chinese frigate locked its radar on a Japanese navy ship in the East China Sea last week.
“We wish China to acknowledge it (the radar lock), apologise for it and make efforts to prevent it from recurring,” he told the BS Fuji TV station, Jiji Press news agency reported.
Shinzo Abe’s demand came after Beijing completely denied Tokyo’s allegation about the radar lock. “The Japanese side’s remarks were against the facts,” said Beijing’s defense ministry.
“Japan unilaterally made public untrue information to the media, and senior Japanese government officials made irresponsible remarks that hyped up the so-called ‘China threat,’ ” it added. Tokyo had “recklessly created tension and misled international public opinion,” it said.
“We have confirmed visually and by photographs and other means such details as whether the radar was directed this way,” the Japanese premier was quoted as saying.
Earlier in the day, Tokyo summoned China’s envoy for the third time this year after Beijing’s flat denial.
Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister Chikao Kawai told Chinese Ambassador Cheng Yonghua that Beijing’s response was “totally unacceptable.” Kawai also stated that Tokyo expected Beijing to “sincerely fulfill its responsibility for an explanation.”
DND
