TOKYO, July 21 (Reuters) – A Chinese navy destroyer conducted live-fire drills in waters southwest of Japan’s remote Okinotori Island early on Sunday while operating alongside Russian naval vessels, Japan’s Joint Staff said.
Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force spotted four vessels — a Chinese Renhai-class guided-missile destroyer, a Luyang III-class guided-missile destroyer, a Fuchi-class replenishment ship and a Russian Steregushchiy-class frigate — sailing northeast about 330 km (205 miles) southwest of Okinotori at around 2 a.m. on July 19 (1700 GMT on July 18), the Joint Staff said in a statement on Tuesday.
The Japanese military later confirmed that the Chinese Luyang III-class destroyer conducted a live-fire exercise about 180 km southwest of the island, the statement said.
A spokesperson at the Joint Staff said it was the first time Japan had disclosed China’s live-fire drills in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), while adding that the activity was not against international rules.
The vessels were the same ships that had transited southward through waters between Okinawa’s main island and Miyako Island on July 16, according to the statement.
Japan’s Defense Ministry said its destroyer monitored the ships and gathered intelligence on their activities.
China disputes Japan’s claim that the waters around Okinotori are part of its EEZ, arguing that it is a reef rather than an island.
China and Russia have stepped up joint naval and air operations around Japan in recent years, prompting Tokyo to increase surveillance and strengthen its defences in the southwest island chain amid concerns over regional security.
(Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim, Nobuhiro Kubo and Hina Suzuki; Editing by Stephen Coates)
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