A Chinese aircraft career group was seen entering Japan territorial waters for the first time, sparking concerns in Tokyo over Beijing’s expanding naval reach.
The fleet consisted of the Liaoning carrier alongside a supply ship and two missile destroyers.
Entering Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) on Saturday evening, the group of ships quickly exited, claiming to be conducting military drills near the eastern Minamitori island.
While the Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, has not specified what response was issued, he did mention that the government “conveyed an appropriate message to the Chinese side.”
The arrival of the Chinese ships proved to be particularly concerning for Tokyo, as well as the US, as fears over the expansion of the Chinese naval fleet and their capacity rose, with the increasingly assertive activity in the Pacific.
Both China and Japan have long engaged in territorial disputes over the Senkakus, a set of islets in the East China Sea. Though uninhabited, these islets are governed by Japan, but claimed by China as part of their territory.
Japan, in response, deployed warship Haguro to monitor the situation, as takeoff and landing drills were conducted by Chinese fighter jets and helicopters.
Tokyo remains alert as this incursion is an addition to a series of incidents of Chinese vessels entering Japan’s EEZ. In May, 2 vessels were found in the southern regions of Japan, while last September, Chinese ships were sailing near the Japanese islands of Yonaguni and Iriomote, located close to Taiwan.
No civilian presence is recorded on Minamitori; however, this territory is of particular interest to both states, given the large deposits of rare metals available. Last year, the Nippon Foundation, in collaboration with Tokyo University, identified an estimated 200m tonnes of manganese nodules on the seabed.
The few meteorological agencies present on the island, alongside coast guards and self-defence personnel, were placed on alert.
The Japanese government has condemned these incursions, calling them “unacceptable” and has expressed “serious concerns” to their counterparts in Beijing.
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