South Korea, Japan spar over maritime aircraft incident

Jan. 3 (UPI) -- South Korea and Japan are locked in a dispute over an incident involving a Japanese aircraft and a South Korean naval ship that took place in December.

Seoul's presidential national security council said Thursday the government will take "necessary action" after a Japanese aircraft, the Kawasaki P-1, flew near the Gwanggaeto the Great-class destroyer in a threatening manner, Yonhap reported.

"Members of the NSC discussed the seriousness of the incident involving the low-altitude flight of a Japanese patrol aircraft toward [South Korea's] naval vessel in the middle of rescuing a North Korean fishing vessel in the East Sea," the Blue House said in a press release.

Japan has said the South Korean naval ship targeted the Japanese aircraft with fire-control radar and released a 13-minute video clip of the incident. The footage does not show radar targeting, however, according to Yonhap.

South Korea has requested a formal apology from Japan for making unfounded claims.

The dispute between the two countries comes as Tokyo is securing more weapons to increase its defenses against a rising China.

Adm. Yutaka Murakawa, chief of the maritime staff of Japan's self-defense force, said in his New Year's message "game changing" improvements would be made in the military, South Korean television network SBS reported Thursday.

Improvements could allow Japan's Izumo-class ships to accommodate more than 20 F-35B fighter jets, according to the report.