Japan monitors 9 Chinese, Russian ships near its territory

Tokyo, Jun 22 (EFE).- The Japanese Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is monitoring the naval maneuvers that nine ships from China and Russia since last week in waters close to its territory, which Tokyo considers a demonstration of strength of neighboring countries.

The Russian flotilla has sailed since Jun. 15 from the vicinity of Hokkaido to the south of the country and has returned to the Japanese archipelago, according to Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi.

Chinese ships, detected on Jun. 12, crossed the Tsugaru Strait and part of them also made a route similar to that of the Russian ships, accompanying them on their circumambulation of the Japanese archipelago,ending up in the Sea ​​of Japan

These maneuvers with almost a dozen ships in such a short time are considered “a demonstration to Japan of the military presence of China and Russia,” Kishi said, adding that Japanese forces are “closely monitoring” the situation.

The Japanese minister also mentioned other Russian and Chinese ships detected in recent hours near Okinawa, in southwestern Japan, as well as 30 planes that have carried out exercises south of Taiwan, according to the territory’s authorities.

“We at the Defense Ministry will continue to monitor the movements near our country by the Russian and Chinese naval forces, and we will make every effort to apply preventive measures,” Kishi said.

These naval moves by Beijing and Moscow are believed to be part of a large-scale exercise announced by Russia, and to take place at the same time that Japan and the United States carry out other joint exercises in the Indo-Pacific area.

In recent years, Japan has denounced the increase in Beijing’s maritime military activities around its territory, to which Russian flotillas have recently joined in the context of growing tensions around Taiwan and the invasion of Ukraine by Moscow. EFE

ahg-yk/lds