The Defense Ministry released on Friday video footage of the incident in which a South Korean Navy destroyer locked its fire-control radar onto a Maritime Self-Defense Force P-1 patrol plane on Dec. 20.
The ministry decided to make the video public to support its claims after South Korea denied that the radar had been directed at the plane.
"I want people in Japan to understand that the Maritime Self-Defense Force acted appropriately," Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya said at a press conference Friday, explaining why the footage was released.
The incident occurred in the Sea of Japan off the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture.
The Defense Ministry publicly disclosed the incident on Dec. 21, prompting South Korea to deny its destroyer's alleged use of a fire-control radar at a press conference. During a teleconference between defense officials from the two countries held Thursday, South Korea again did not confirm the facts of the incident.
The roughly 13-minute video begins with footage of the MSDF P-1 patrol plane approaching a group of vessels, including the South Korean Navy destroyer, a South Korean Coast Guard rescue vessel and a distressed ship likely to be a North Korean fishing boat. About six minutes into the video, the MSDF plane detects the use of a fire-control radar.
One of the crew members is heard saying in a tense voice, "We should steer clear," with the pilot ordering confirmation of the direction of the destroyer's guns.
After moving away from the vessel, a crew member listening to radar detection sounds says, "The sound is so loud," emphasizing the strength of the radio field intensity.
Afterward, a crew member asks the destroyer questions in English such as "What is the purpose of your act?" in three different frequencies. However, the vessel did not respond.
The incident occurred near a section of the Sea of Japan called Yamatotai, which has rich fishing grounds. Large numbers of North Korean fishing boats have descended on the area to poach squid, causing problems.
An official with ties to the Japanese government noted the possibility that South Korea's military has helped rescue North Korean fishing boats in the area and likely sought to conceal such activities from Japan.
The Japanese government has previously released footage of incidents involving foreign vessels, disclosing a video of a collision between a Chinese trawler and Japan Coast Guard patrol vessels off the Senkaku Islands of Okinawa Prefecture in 2010.
The incident, in which two JCG vessels were rammed by a Chinese trawler fishing illegally in Japanese territorial waters, occurred during the administration of Prime Minister Naoto Kan of the Democratic Party of Japan.
A JCG officer initially leaked footage of the incident on a video-sharing site, generating intense public interest. The Cabinet was heavily criticized for not imposing a criminal penalty on the trawler's captain, and was forced to submit video of the incident to the Diet amid intense public pressure.
ROK repeats denials
By Yujiro Okabe / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent
SEOUL -- An official related to the South Korean military told reporters Friday, "While the Japanese side has insisted that radar was directed at the plane, it has not provided any specifics on the [radar] frequency," suggesting there was insufficient evidence to prove the allegations.
The official instead argued that the MSDF plane posed "a considerable threat" to the South Korean vessel by approaching and flying 150 meters above the destroyer.
According to a source knowledgeable about Japan-South Korea relations, South Korea initially demanded that Japan not disclose the radar issue.
Seoul apparently was caught off guard by Japan's rejection of the request and has actively engaged in a public relations campaign.
Since the incident was reported, South Korean public opinion has hardened against Tokyo's allegations, with the media criticizing Japan for reacting excessively. The South Korean government now faces a situation in which it has no choice but to take a tough stance in dealing with Japan over the issue.
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