A Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer sailed through the Taiwan Strait last week, days after a Chinese fighter jet flew dangerously close to a Japanese patrol plane over the Pacific, diplomatic sources said Thursday.
It was the third known passage through the waterway by an MSDF ship, with all occurring within the past year, apparently aimed at warning China, which continues to pressure Taiwan, the self-ruled democratic island it claims as its own.
The Takanami entered the strait from the East China Sea on June 12 and spent more than 10 hours as it sailed toward the south, the sources said. After the transit, the destroyer headed to waters off the Philippines' main island of Luzon.
The entire transit was tracked and monitored by the Chinese military, according to the sources.
The Takanami conducted a joint maritime exercise with the Philippine Navy on Saturday in a South China Sea area the Southeast Asian country claims jurisdiction over, amid China's intensifying assertions in the waters.
The Japanese government has typically refrained from sending MSDF vessels through the Taiwan Strait to avoid provoking China. But it has shifted its stance amid Beijing's growing assertiveness, joining ally the United States and others in asserting freedom of navigation in what they consider international waters.
The latest transit came after Japan's Defense Ministry said that a Chinese J-15 fighter jet from the aircraft carrier Shandong approached as close as 45 meters to an MSDF P-3C surveillance plane over the high seas in the Pacific on June 7 and 8.
The previous two transits took place in September last year and February this year. The Japanese government has not officially admitted to the activities.
© KYODO
38 Comments
Login to comment
Mr Kipling
An unbiased report would state that this is an act of aggression by Japan.
TaiwanIsNotChina
That's what we like to see: Japan standing up for Free Taiwan and Freedom of Navigation.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Sailing in international waters can't possibly be an act of aggresion.
WiseOneIn Kansai
Yeah, but from your past comments, it's only aggression.
You reap what you sow!!
John-San
Tai: they are giving the finger China. Is there any need to navigate that course. There is a lot of infrastructure on the sea bed in that strait connecting the Chinese province to the mainland. There no need to sail that course. It an act of stupidity at the lease.
Peter14
Absurd notion. That would be the very definition of a biased report.
You must be beside yourself with the Chinese "hostile fleet" sailing around Australia and holding unannounced live fire exercises right under the main international flight path between New Zealand and Australia. In your books that would be what? Close to an invasion? Try as I might I cant see any post from you expressing your outrage over that. But one aging destroyer in international waters near China is somehow an act of aggression? Wow.
Tamarama
TaiWaniSnotchina
“Sailing in international waters can’t possibly be an act of aggression”
Unless it is done by China, apparently.
This is provocative by Japan. Didn’t the original incident quoted in the article occur in international waters and involve a Japanese surveillance plane flying close to the Chinese aircraft carriers? That’s also provocative.
This disappoints me, frankly. There’s no need for Japan to behave like this.
JJE
Another provocation and an affront to Beijing's decent territorial integrity, not to mention waters.
JboneInTheZone
International waters. Cry more CCP shills. You won’t do anything else about it
deanzaZZR
Transit passage is a concept of the law of the sea, which allows a vessel or aircraft the freedom of navigation or overflight solely for the purpose of continuous and expeditious transit of a strait between one part of the high seas or exclusive economic zone and another. - Wikipedia
No loitering allowed.
elephant200
OK that's fine and Chinese fighter jets will chasing closer than ever next time. 45 meters was nothing if comparing with what we have done to Canadian and Australian P3 spy planes !
elephant200
An MSDF P-3C surveillance plane over the high seas in the Pacific
What "Surveillance plane"? Don't try to sway away the true intention of Japan. That P3 plane is a spy plane doing spying activities near Chinese armada. Remember the EP3 incident in 1st April 2001 ? That was also a spy plane, an electronic one flew to spy on Chinese communications. That Japanese P3 is spying on Chinese submarines and so does the Australians and Canadians P3s were doing the same !
Peter14
What a joke. Neither nation has spy's on planes, they use reconnaissance aircraft. America used to have spy planes that would fly at high altitude over others territory. Spying is done via satellites these days.
ian
Good if they didn't send a plane too close
ian
Hahahaha expected to hear such things from you but still hilarious
OssanAmerica
The following nations have sent warships to transit the Taiwan Strait. It sends a clear message to the Chinese dictatorship that the world supports Taiwan, and if they choose to take Taiwan by force the world may not sit by and do nothing.
The United States
Australia
Canada
Japan
Germany
New Zealand
United Kingdom
France
isabelle
There is no need for the PRC to claim Taiwan, which it has never once ruled, or vast swaths of sea that don't belong to it under a fictitious 9/10-dash line, and illegally occupy and militarize areas.
It's only because China doesn't follow the law that you perceive this as "giving the finger."
No matter how many times you all try the line, Taiwan is not a "Chinese province."
Saying so just marks you out as a CCP reality-denier.
Sailing through international waters is not an act of aggression.
Flying jets dangerously close to other nations' aircraft, as China did to Japan, is aggression.
isabelle
No-one has accused China of an act of aggression simply for sailing through international waters.
They rightly accuse China for flying/sailing dangerously close to other nations' aircraft/vessels; ramming and water-cannoning legally-operating ships; loitering in other nations' territorial waters (UNCLOS Article 17 only allows innocent passage); and other malign acts.
Of course, PRC fans always try to draw a false equivalence with these very different things, but no-one is fooled by their lies.
The Japanese plane was surveilling the area -- just as China, and everyone else does. But it was operating lawfully and safely. Then, China committed an aggressive, dangerous act, flying within 45m.
As ever, the aggression is all on the Chinese side.
JJE
Important to observe Taiwan lacks valid UN recognition and Beijing's claim has much merit under international law. Not only over the strait but the adjoining island too.
Tokyo needs to start respecting this provable reality if it wants respect.
isabelle
All due to PRC threats and pressure. The problem here is 100% PRC, 0% Taiwan.
(And, FYI, Ukraine has UN recognition but that didn't stop your Kremlin war criminals invading.)
It has zero merit, and Beijing's actions violate the UN Charter:
...
https://untso.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/united_nations_charter.pdf
3. All Members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered.
4. All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.
deanzaZZR
Zero merit?
https://thechinaproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Chiang-Kai-shek-and-Mao-Zedong.jpg
isabelle
How on earth would that picture give merit to the PRC's claim?
That's just bizarre.
elephant200
nations have sent warships to transit the Taiwan Strait. It sends a clear message to.... take Taiwan by force the world may not sit by and do nothing.
So these eight countries represents the whole world ? They better watch out the Ukraine crisis will spreading to Baltic and Scandinavia....
More countries is supporting China takeover Taiwan because we have a very big navy concentrated in west Pacific. And China has space weapons, the PLA is capable to take the conflict not just in west Pacific but in space outside the atmosphere. Fascist America and her running dogs better watch out !
Vlad.P.Suxkokov
Its international waters, so a big nothing burger. Happy sailing! ;-)
Mr Kipling
Thank you. You are completely correct. But when China does this it is always described as an act of aggression. Which you agree it is not.
WiseOneIn Kansai
China never follows international law, it just makes up nonsense and claims everything under "historical rights".
I think there is more respect for Japan than China in the world.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/06/19/world/philippine-china-sea-of-peace/
isabelle
This claim is false.
It's certainly not "always described as an act of aggression."
If you can provide articles that call China's innocent passage through international waters -- and doing nothing else untoward -- an "act of aggression" I'd like to read them. If they do exist, the outlet must have pretty poor journalistic principles.
(And, even if some do exist, that's certainly not "always.")
ian
So did china say anything about this passage?
Sven Asai
Wow, a 'destroyer', and I guess they all shiver now there from fears when seeing those quasi static targets and first to be destroyed swimming coffins.
John-San
I hope Taiwan isn’t relying on USA exceptionalism just ask the Houties who just kick their rare end. Plus this USA exceptionalism worked will for Ukraine. Not.
Vlad.P.Suxkokov
I hope China is reliant on Russian military equipment and strategies. How'd that work out in Syria, India, and now Iran????????????????????????? Not to mention Russia.. loLOLZZZ
TaiwanIsNotChina
International waters so does not apply. They should test out your theory within 12 nm of China, though.
TaiwanIsNotChina
US defeat ended with the Houthi's agreeing to the US terms back in May.
The US will be allowed to use its air force and navy in a defense of Taiwan.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Important to observe that Taiwan has more recognition than russia's disgraces and we need not pay attention to the opinions of countries focused on Yuan.
deanzaZZR
台湾是中国 Read it again. Special rules apply.
Not loitering, no spying is allowed.
John-San
Tai: no wrong: that just exceptional propaganda for their citizens to take hook line and sinker. You seem to forget The Houties had Israel main airport close for all of may and to date June. Was that part of the deal you let us retreat and we let you keep bombing Israel airport!. Use their Navy and Air Force just like in Korea just like in Vietnam just like in Afghanistan and Iraq lol. Mate you seem to avoid the history of the USA military quests.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Article 35
Scope of this Part
Nothing in this Part affects:
(b) the legal status of the waters beyond the territorial seas of States bordering straits as exclusive economic zones or high seas; or
Article 36
High seas routes or routes through exclusive economic zones through straits used for international navigation
This Part does not apply to a strait used for international navigation if there exists through the strait a route through the high seas or through an exclusive economic zone of similar convenience with respect to navigational and hydrographical characteristics; in such routes, the other relevant Parts of this Convention, including the provisions regarding the freedoms of navigation and overflight, apply.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Sounds like a problem for Israel. The US got its shipping secured.
I know the history of the successful Gulf War and still to be determined Iraq War.