China Holds Firing Exercises within Japan’s EEZ

Tokyo, July 21 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday it has confirmed that the Chinese navy conducted firing exercises within Japan’s exclusive economic zone on Sunday. It was the first time that the ministry had publicly acknowledged such a drill by the Chinese military in Japan’s EEZ. The ministry also said that a Russian navy frigate was nearby, prompting the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force to engage in warning and surveillance activities. “We recognize the move as part of efforts to strengthen military cooperation between the Chinese and Russian militaries, and we are closely monitoring the situation with concern,” Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said at a press conference Tuesday According to the ministry and other sources, the MSDF detected three Chinese vessels and one Russian vessel sailing in a northeasterly direction at a point around 330 kilometers southwest of the remote Tokyo island of Okinotorishima in the Pacific around 2 a.m. Sunday. Of the three Chinese vessels, one missile destroyer conducted machine-gun drills within Japan’s EEZ at a location some 180 kilometers southwest of the island. The Japanese government through diplomatic channels told the Chinese side that the drills could pose a danger to ships sailing nearby. The Chinese navy vessel reportedly issued a radio notification to nearby vessels immediately before the live-fire drills. Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, who is currently visiting Britain, said in a speech on Monday that the Chinese and Russian militaries conducted live-fire exercises in Japan’s EEZ. Bringing up a recent string of joint operations by bombers of the Chinese and Russian militaries near Japan, Koizumi said that the two nations were deepening military cooperation. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]