Increased movement of Russian and Chinese warships in waters around Japan

During a meeting with the heads of the Ministry of Defence of the States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the capital of Cambodia – Phnom Penh, Japanese Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi noted that the increased movement of warships of Russia and China, which have recently taken similar courses around Japan, is worrying..

According to the newspaper "Japan Times", Minister Kishi reported that since mid-June Japan has confirmed the passage of five Russian ships south of the Hokkaido Prefecture in the Pacific Ocean, which through the Cushim Strait in southwestern Japan have influenced the Japanese Sea.

Similar course they have recently chosen three Chinese ships, and six other Chinese war units sailed near the southern Okinawa Prefecture, coming from the East China Sea towards the Pacific between Tuesday and Wednesday," added Kishi.

The Japanese minister called the recent actions of Russia and China "a show of force" and "shaking the sword". He also said that it meant "near the lap of Japan" and said that we should "take a close look at this situation".

Referring to Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, Kishi said at a press conference held after ministers' talks that the attempt to introduce a "one-sided change of status quo using force" is not only about Europe and could also happen in the Indo-Pacific area in the future.

Conversations in Phnom Penh take place at a time when Japan seeks to further strengthen security relations with a 10-member group of ASEAN states and as China expands its military influence in the region," writes Japanese Kyodo agency.

As the agency emphasises, South-East Asia is a strategically important region that includes key maritime routes, including the South China Sea, which is the source of territorial disputes between some ASEAN members and China.

The group consists of: Burma, Brunei, Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Source: PAP