Japan detects foreign submarine passing near Amami-Oshima

china

Azerbaijan?

The US?

China still working hard to break the First Island Chain, an absolute necessity to to achieve the goal of replacing the US Navy as the dominant strategic power in the Pacific.

In formality, Communist Party directs and controls China in ideas. The communist party is above the government and watch what the government does so that justice prevails. While the same communist party is allowing expansionism of the government and threatening the peace of neighboring countries.

China or Russia, probably China.

Japan knows well the origin of the sub...

By analyzing the sub’s engine noise, the MSDF must have been able to find out its origin.

100% China.

Start to bully again!

Firstly, a Crackdown in HK, then Fighting with India, hacking in Australia & now (most probably) this.

China doing its best to outdo North Korea.

The submarine did not violate Japanese territorial waters around the island, it said.

why is this news then?

Vince - can we leave off the bigoted epithets pleas. It adds nothing to the worth of the discussion.

And as others noted - the US / SDF know as much as would be possible to know about the sub, and that would be quite a lot.

Such incidents probably occur often, just this info is released to time with the tons of negative stuff flying around Abe & the ldp.

A kind of - Make Japan Safe Again.

I had same though than @goodlucktoyou

It must happen hundreds of time per year.

Did you think submarine were kept idle in an hidden submarine cave for months ?

Chinese subs are tracked by USN all the time. If such a sub appears to be approaching near Japanese waters the info is shared with JMSDF for closer tracking. Who incidentally are very good at it. I don't doubt that we have SOSUS in place, and I don't doubt the Chinese already have maps of suitable routes to get out into the open Pacific.

It's a non-story. Subs from many nations are out there patrolling 24/7, 365. I would even venture that they may have wanted Japan to know they were there and it probably was a patrol sub and not a "boomer" ballistic nuclear type as their strategic job is to stay undetected throughout their deployment.

China, Russia or NK. Probably China because they have been agitating everyone lately. They just recently attacked and captured several Indian soldiers on the border.

The ministry did not specify to which nation the submarine belongs but did confirm it traveled westward through the contiguous zone around the island on Thursday afternoon.

They know. It is only likely to be one of 3 candidates, with two more likely then the other. An analysis of the acoustic signature would have been pointed the finger at someone.

I wonder if they 'ahem' let them know to try harder next time.

Japanese Soryu class of submarines and what Japan builds are built with first class advanced technology . The Chinese ones are based on the old Soviet ones but they have the money and are developing. Their fleet is expanding. The Russians don’t have the money.

The ministry did not specify to which nation the submarine belongs but did confirm it traveled westward through the contiguous zone around the island on Thursday afternoon. The submarine did not violate Japanese territorial waters around the island, it said.

Sure they must have more detail info, can't reveal it as it would also reveal Japan's naval detection capability.

Nobody needs to tell me who is the invader. China is the one who we can suspect to have done it.

Anti-base crowd quiet as usual.

On the J news at midday the explanation was China probably "誇示する" flaunting their ability to thread the narrow gap between islands because they have already extensively laser-mapped the sea floor.

Why would they release this information to the public, but not reveal the nation the sub belonged to? Odd. Of course, everybody would assume China, so why not say so? Unless it wasn't China, but the government wants people to think it was.

Always wary about these announcements to the public. There is always a motive.

again.

iSubmarines can travel submerged in iternational waters, no matter in and out of first island chain, Japan never own those waters or routes,what can japan do?

By the way, does US or other navies dont get close to Chinese shores with their submarines!? I doubt it!

It's the French. Intent re-establishing an Empire in Asia.

Subs pass by all the time, as long as they are out of the nations territorial waters no one bothers.

So the Q? is why is this public news?

If this is big deal then why make it public? if Not then why is it news?? Make up your mind.

and? why is this news??

The passages around Japan are well known for having clear water, in which submarines can be easily detected from the air. The US Navy found that out the hard way during WW II.

Subs usually do not fly their flag underwater, and the Chinese are still using old Russian hardware so it is hard to be 100% sure as to nationality. Besides, even if you knew, you would not want to show your hand.

On the other hand, if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and squawks like a duck, then...