The Japanese government has denied South Korea’s claim that a patrol plane flew at low altitude and threatened its warship.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga says there is no proof that a Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) patrol plane flew as South Korea claimed, and that the plane had flown in an appropriate manner.
South Korea’s military said that the Japanese patrol plane flew close to a South Korean naval vessel at an altitude of 60 to 70 metres on Wednesday, even though the plane clearly identified the ship.
The military added that Japan’s threatening flight is a clear act of provocation towards its ally.
Late last month, Japan’s Defence Ministry released aerial footage of a South Korean destroyer, saying it had proved the ship had locked its radar on a Japanese surveillance plane.
