Chinese And Russian Air/Naval Forces Spotted Around The Japanese Islands
Chinese and Russian Air Force and Naval forces have continually been spotted sailing close to Japanese islands, which, according to Japan is a “grave concern”.
JAPAN - Japanese reports of Chinese and Russian naval and air forces being spotted around its islands have become a regular occurrence, the following were reported by the country’s Ministry of Defense recently (Statements Translated).
In August of 2023, Japan decried what it believed was a joint patrol by six Chinese and five Russian vessels sailing together between Japan’s Okinawa and Miyako Island, after which turning toward the East China Sea, according to the Japanese Defense Ministry last year.
The 11 naval vessels, which included destroyers, were spotted around 174 miles northeast of Japan’s Okinotori Island according to the Defense Ministry.
This particular sighting occurred after the two countries had carried out joint military drills in the Sea of Japan in July of that year, and the first time both countries had been spotted together in that particular region.
Japan’s Defense Ministry said at the time that the joint naval and aerial exercises near its country are a “grave concern” to national security and, “clearly intended as a show of force against Japan”.
The joint military drills between China and Russia were carried out just a day before the Trilateral summit was set to begin during which Japan, the United States, and South Korea were set to address the rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific region.
Furthermore, the three countries were set to agree on deepening defense, technological, and economic cooperation.