A Chinese aircraft carrier entered Japan’s contiguous waters for the first time on Wednesday, raising Tokyo’s ‘serious concerns’ over China’s assertive military actions in the region, officials said.
The Liaoning, accompanied by destroyers, sailed between Japan’s Yonaguni and Iriomote islands, entering Japan’s contiguous zone where the nation exercises control over maritime traffic up to 24 nautical miles offshore, the Defense Ministry reported.
As part of fleet maneuvers, Chinese warships also transited near the disputed Senkaku islets. Japan’s Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroshi Moriya condemned the breach, labeling it ‘absolutely unacceptable for national and regional security.’ Earlier incidents included airspace and territorial water violations. Tokyo conveyed its concerns to Beijing and reinforced defenses in southwestern Japan.
