Kijun Times

The Senkaku/Diaoyu islands have been a source of tension between China and Japan for decades

Media criticise Japan's "risky behaviour" after China releases video footage showing close encounters between military jets of the two nations.

Beijing says two Japanese F-15 fighter jets reportedly tailed Chinese aircraft and intruded into its East China Sea Air Defence Identification Zone on Wednesday, the Liberation Army Daily reports.

However, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga denied the accusations and blamed the Chinese planes for posing a danger to the Japanese aircraft.

Last year, China outlined an "air-defence identification zone" over an area of the East China Sea, covering islands that are also claimed by Japan. The islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, are a source of rising tension between the countries.

China's Ministry of National Defence has released two video clips on its website showing the close brush between the jets.

Describing the clips as "thrillers produced by [Japanese PM Shinzo] Abe", a Xinhua news agency article accuses Japan for "seriously jeopardising the safety of Chinese jets".

"Japan distorts facts, launches vicious attacks on China, spreads rumours of threats in the region and at the same time it is starting a series of military expansion. The international community should be on high alert," it warns.

Echoing similar views, military expert Wang Ya-nan adds that China had "all along kept a record of tailing by Japanese aircraft".

Beijing exercised restraint and tolerance by not revealing the records publicly in the past…But others are not appreciative of Beijing's controlled manner. China should often release such information in the future," he tells the Beijing Times.