Russian warships pass between Japan's westernmost islands

These stories are written as though describing military maneuvers, like sharks circling and ready to strike, when in reality they are not (i.e. here the ships are merely returning back home to Russia)...Yonaguni? Eons away from Tokyo, Osaka, etc., and again just happens to be in the same area as the route back home.

So it's really obvious someone has an agenda here.

Russian warships pass between Japan's westernmost islands

Big Deal.

LegrandeToday  07:04 am JST

So it's really obvious someone has an agenda here.

Yes the Chinese and Russians have an agenda for sure, to display to Japan. the US and Allies their navies' ability to operate in their back yard.

3 ships sailing in international waters as is their right. Why no report on Japanese, US, German, Korean and every other country with a navy doing exactly this everyday of the year?

Another cheap show-off just like Putin's macho half-naked photos.

3 ships sailing in international waters as is their right. Why no report on Japanese, US, German, Korean and every other country with a navy doing exactly this everyday of the year?

Because the Russian Navy has limited capability to detect and identify those covert activities, and of course none is news-reported. Deeper undersea Japan's submarines are quite active and on alert while Russia has no knowledge of their whereabouts.

And beware that all Russian activities near Japan have been (easily) monitored.

The rivalry between the East and the West in the form of the Cold War is supposed to have ended in 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed.　But U.S.-led NATO took advantage of this and expanded its sphere of influence over the former Soviet bloc.

NATO should have exerted itself to prevent the Cold War from occurring once again but it has done exactly the opposite.

The rivalry between the East and the West in the form of the Cold War is supposed to have ended in 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed.　But U.S.-led NATO took advantage of this and expanded its sphere of influence over the former Soviet bloc.

Be reminded that Russia under Putin once sought NATO membership. There is the opposite and relevant view that NATO should have expanded more including Ukraine to prevent the invasions (starting since 2014 in Crimea).

we shouldn't be surprised that Russia and China are teaming up, their fear of NATO expansion towards Asia is probably urgent and causing panic, and it should.

If and when Russia and China learn to RESPECT the sovereignty of other nations in the area only then NATO and the free world will calm down and feel safe.

@blue

Almost encircled

I guess this is a typo

Encircled as in circumnavigating is what they are referring to.

Probably a translation issue

Yes amusing

@Noriahojanen

Japan's submarines are quite active

In fact Japanese submarines are so highly trained in proficiency navigation that they recently bumped into a Japanese fishing vessel.

Very impressive indeed

Deeper undersea Japan's submarines are quite active and on alert while Russia has no knowledge of their whereabouts

But you do have knowledge of their whereabouts ?

and also assume to think Russian military cant detect the Japanese submarines presence ?

Sounds like a superiority complex .

With any luck they'll crash into the Chinese ships.

Luckily you can’t see the approximately 64 submarines, many nuclear armed, or the thousands of high tech attack submarine drones, otherwise you won’t sleep at night.

Some posters on here fall for every article designed to trigger their anti China/Russia bias. :)

Its 3 ships returning to port in international waters. It isn't newsworthy... It literally happens EVERYDAY all around the world. Right now there are US navy ships in international waters off China, Iran and North Korea.

Why no report? Because just like this ..... Its not a story.

If these ships were any real threat, rest assured that the Japanese Self Defense Naval Forces would have eliminated them.

The citizens of Russia and China should be outraged at their respective governments for putting the crews of their ships in such a perilous situation.

And the japanenes wave hello to them.

It seem like the Japanese,would be concerned about criminal American naval officers, entering their waters with nuclear missiles,too the point the navy brass,were scared of appointment of Admiral too the 7th fleet,we deal with corrupt especially one that carry nuclear code and Japanese should too

Target practice for the Japanese Forces.

noriahojanen,

 Be reminded that Russia under Putin once sought NATO membership.

Are you sure Putin has ever sought Russia's NATO membership? What's your source for validating it?

I've just found George Kennan, former U.S. Ambassador to Soviet Russia and William Perry, former U.S. Secretary of Defense under the Clinton Administration, were of the same opinion as mine: i.e., NATO should not have tried to expand its sphere of influence to the East. (Cf. Hideki Soejima, "Gorbachev talks: "Did west promise Russia it won't expand to east?" run on Asahi Shimbun: March 12, 2022.)

The Ukrainian crisis today should be considered under that context. Japan under Kishida jumping on the NATO band wagon rashly may be too imprudent an action for the nation, which will soon experience a boomerang effect on its shaky economy.

Yes the Chinese and Russians have an agenda for sure, to display to Japan. the US and Allies their navies' ability to operate in their back yard.

Sure, in time of peace. If there was a shooting war they wouldn't last a day sailing that close to Japan.

It seem like the Japanese,would be concerned about criminal American naval officers, entering their waters with nuclear missiles,too the point the navy brass,were scared of appointment of Admiral too the 7th fleet,we deal with corrupt especially one that carry nuclear code and Japanese should too

Your information is badly out of date. US Navy aircraft carriers, surface ships and attack submarines have not deployed with nuclear weapons since the mid 1990s. All the nuclear weapons were removed and stored ashore. Nuclear Tomahawks were all destroyed a decade ago. Only ballistic missile submarines go to sea with nuclear weapons now and those do not make port calls in Japan or any other foreign port.

The presence of nuclear weapons on board U.S. aircraft carriers since the end of the Cold War has neither been confirmed nor denied by the U.S. government.

Russia is returning the favor for China supporting their war efforts in Ukraine. All thanks to US idiotic moves to provoke Russia in Putin's backyard. And now Ukraine is getting crushed while the US ran away like they always do

Russia is a paper tiger. They don't have an economy sufficient to sustain Putin's dreams of empire, and until they get rid of Putin, their economy will continue to stagnate.

Desert Tortoise

Only ballistic missile submarines go to sea with nuclear weapons now and those do not make port calls in Japan or any other foreign port

Broadly true but the USS Rhode Island, Ohio class nuclear armed ballistic missile sub arrived in Faslane on 1/7/22.

Very daring for the russian navy to have ships so far from port without the usual accompanying tug!

Have to say this is a non story, if that was the shortest route home and they were in international waters so what, yes Japan would monitor them just like every other country. russian ships transit the English Channel on a regular basis and rarely get so much as a mention in the press in normal circumstances, monitored and courtesy escorted by either the French or Royal Navy, RN often just use an OPV, equivalent to a Japanese Coastguard vessel.

China and russia are undoubtedly seeking to flex their military around Japan and the circumnavigation was clearly meant as such, but every vessel isn’t necessarily them putting two fingers up at Japan

Some posters on here fall for every article designed to trigger their anti China/Russia bias

& Some posters on here fall for every comment designed to trigger their anti Western bias

This headline reminds me of a song that I heard back in 1972. The chorus lyrics were "There were three ships sailing all with treasure in their holds, one carried silver and the other carried gold, the third carried you my love safely home to me, and it was the greatest treasure hunt we'd ever had at sea".

As long as they stay 12 nm off shore, it is called "freedom of navigation", provided they aren't fishing.

theFuToday  05:42 am JST

As long as they stay 12 nm off shore, it is called "freedom of navigation", provided they aren't fishing.

Correct, which why they were not challenged, but only monitored.

But the issue is not what they are doing is legal/illegal, but that they are sending their naval vessels in close proximity of another country for the purpose of projecting a "threat potential".

Be reminded that Russia under Putin once sought NATO membership

Recently ive read this claim a few times however i find that extremely difficult to believe.

NATO was established April 4 ,1949 ...relations between NATO and Russia were established in 1991 and several agreements were signed.

However i find no credible references to Russia ever seeking to join the NATO military alliance.

Clinton signed the NATO expansion legislation 1998

@Reckless

@noriahojanen

Keep looking

To clarify the confusion over whether Russia wanted to join NATO -

IN 2001 Putin and the Kremlin unveiled a secret file that in 1945 the USSR and V.M. Molotov had suggested the Soviet Union join the NATO alliance...however it was rejected.

*so.. NO * Putin never seeked to join NATO !

If they want to alarm Japan they'll probably passthru the Tsugaru again.

Russia is demonstrating : Freedom of Netvigation. Not just ships but also in the air, you will see the Russian Tupolev and Chinese Tupolev flying over the sea of Japan!

@Reckless

Mentioned Russia joining NATO

And it may have been orally

Your far too vague and ambiguous with saying "mentioned" and "may have been" !

Obviously you have no way to confirm your claim that Putin ever officially announced he was interested in Russia ever joining NATO.

No sense in taking your word for it and going on a wild goose chase.

However it was interesting researching Russian history all the way back to their Norse/Scandinavian heritage and the original capitals named - Staraja Ladoga and Rurikovo Gorodishche.

you have no way to confirm your claim that Putin ever officially announced he was interested in Russia ever joining NATO.

According to George Robertson, who led Nato between 1999 and 2003, Putin made it clear at their first meeting that he wanted Russia to be part of western Europe.

“Putin said: ‘When are you going to invite us to join Nato?’ And [Robertson] said: ‘Well, we don’t invite people to join Nato, they apply to join Nato.’ And he said: ‘Well, we’re not standing in line with a lot of countries that don’t matter.’”

Putin also told David Frost in a BBC interview he would not rule out joining Nato “if and when Russia’s views are taken into account as those of an equal partner”.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/04/ex-nato-head-says-putin-wanted-to-join-alliance-early-on-in-his-rule

Putin obviously wanted in, on his terms; and his current tantrum is his response to not being welcomed with open arms (as countries that invade other countries tend not to be).

According to George Robertson

@cleo

Thankyou for sharing that.

I appreciate it.

However... perhaps Putin was just joking or being rude and not really serious about joining NATO because he never applied and knew he couldn't join anyway.

I think Putin can be understood in light of his ego and desire for respect no matter what.

Quite. It's a pity he doesn't understand that whatever he does to earn 'respect', from bare-chest horse-riding to half-naked fishing to bombing his neighbours to dust to seeing himself up as Peter the Great, has the exact opposite effect.

At any rate i think the claim that Putin truthfully wanted to join NATO is still false.

Perhaps he was trying to worm his way in to destabilize NATO .

@Rodney

you tout Cleo as being a true historian even tho she merely repeated the exact same comments i was questioning previously.

it doesn't change our debate as to whether there's credible evidence that Putin officially wanted to join NATO.

Any person with critical thinking and psychology 101 skills knows that when someone really wants something they will stand in line or wait as long as it takes to get what they want.

Therefore it's more than reasonable to assume that Putin never truly wanted to Join NATO.

As we can all see by Putins actions in Ukraine that he will continue slowly grinding towards his objectives and stubbornly push forward.

Not the flippant arrogant tantrum like personality of a person that wasn't invited to a party.

So NO !

I rest my case it's completely obvious Putin never really wanted to or officially attempted to join NATO.

she merely repeated the exact same comments i was questioning previously.

Be fair now, I did not merely repeat comments, I gave sources.

Here’s another one, straight from the horse’s mouth, Putin’s interview with Frost, published by the kremlin.

http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/24194

*David Frost:* Is it possible that Russia could join NATO?

*Vladimir Putin: I don't see why not. I would not rule out such a possibility, but I repeat – if and when Russia's views are taken into account as those of an equal partner. I want to stress this again and again. *

Since he’s on record saying that Russia would not wait in line with ‘a lot of countries that don’t matter’, the obvious conclusion would be that in Putin’s mind ‘equal partner’ means ‘given preferential treatment over all others’.

Regrettably, it appears that our partners in the West are all too often still in the grip of old notions and tend to picture Russia as a potential aggressor. 

…and there would seem to be good reason for that.