The way the Chinese think is if they don’t lodge a complaint, then it’s not official and Japan will think it’s okay. It’s more important to have to put it on record so that history knows despite how to Westerners will see it as a show of strength by displaying defiance. This is where the say nothing do nothing logic is hypocritically ignored. The Chinese have to say something when they don’t when all it does is give the enemy a freebie to show strength at China’s expense.
There is no 'winning response' to these provocation. If China reply weakly, they will dial it up. If China reply strongly, they frame it as tough defiance to a menace. The correct response to curtail the action from happening, not after it happens. And the consequence must be targeted at personal level. Like back when they sanction individuals like Pompeo.
When it comes to taming the west, China must learn from Israel. Israel has organization from top to bottom to control the narratives. At grassroot level they have ADL to police social media. At elite level they have finance politicians and have personal connections to individuals. That is how you deal with the "provoke China for political gains" meta. Target these politicians on an individual level, and hold the politicians responsible for stirring the grassroot sentiment. Make them have career failures with great certainty, strengthen their political rivals and it will dissuade any opportunists. This is how 'democracy' functions and Israeli know it better than anyone.