Chinese warships appear to be sailing around Japan amid tensions
- Three ships passed to the southeast of Chiba prefecture on Monday, defence ministry says
- It comes after seven Russian vessels sailed past the Izu Islands south of Tokyo last week
Japan’s defence ministry said two Chinese guided-missile destroyers and a supply ship had on Monday sailed southwest through an area to the southeast of Chiba prefecture, Kyodo reported.
They had reportedly entered the Sea of Japan from the Tsushima Strait, then headed into the Pacific Ocean via waters near Hokkaido last week. The warships then sailed through waters east of Miyagi county on Sunday and appeared to be circumnavigating the Japanese archipelago, according to the report.
It comes after Japan’s defence ministry on Friday said seven Russian warships had passed near the Izu Islands south of Tokyo. The vessels had sailed south past Hokkaido in the Pacific Ocean and were spotted near the uninhabited Izu Islands on Thursday and Friday – the first time Russian warships had been in the area since October, according to Kyodo.