Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.Photo: Reuters

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Thursday the "window of dialogue'' with China must remain open. However, Abe reiterated his rebuke to Beijing over a recent naval confrontation. Abe said an incident in which a Chinese frigate locked its weapons-targeting radar on a Japanese warship was "extremely regrettable'', as tension grows over the sovereignty of islands in the East China Sea. On Wednesday Abe described the Chinese action as "dangerous'' and ''provocative”.