Chinese aircraft carrier in Japanese waters for the first time

Last Updated on September 20, 2024 9:49 am

The country’s defense ministry has claimed that a Chinese aircraft carrier has been detected in the waters adjacent to Japan for the first time. It is feared that this incident of infiltration may further increase the tension in the neighboring countries.

The country spotted the warship off Japan’s southern Yonaguni and Iriomote islands on Wednesday.

British news agency Reuters reported this news on local public broadcaster NHK.

Intrusions by Chinese ships into Taiwan’s territorial waters are a regular occurrence, but are quite new in Japan. This is the first such news.

According to reports, the warship was passing through Japan’s southern Yonaguni and Iriomote islands. This area extends up to 24 nautical miles from the Japanese coastline. Japan can exercise some regulatory powers in the region under UN law.

Japan’s defense ministry did not immediately comment on the matter.

According to Japanese media reports, a Chinese naval survey vessel entered the country’s territorial waters last month after Chinese aircraft violated Japanese airspace. Later, the Japanese authorities protested to China. Earlier, in July a Japanese navy destroyer entered China’s territorial waters near Taiwan, a rare occurrence.

An increase in Chinese military activity near Japan and around Taiwan in recent years has raised concerns in Tokyo.

Earlier, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said on Wednesday it had spotted the same Chinese warship sailing through east coast waters towards Japan’s southernmost island of Yonaguni. The island is located about 110 km (69 mi) east of Taiwan.

China considers autonomous Taiwan as part of its territory. However, Taipei strongly rejects such a claim by China. The country has been conducting regular military operations around Taiwan for five years to pressure it into accepting Beijing’s sovereignty claims.

Chinese vessels led by the Liaoning, the oldest of China’s three aircraft carriers, were spotted sailing through waters northeast of Taiwan early Wednesday, the Taipei ministry said in a statement.

The group then traveled southeast to Yonaguni, which was clearly visible from Taiwan during daylight hours. Taiwan tracked the ships and sent its forces to observe.

Reuters did not immediately get a response from China’s Ministry of Defense for comment.