JS Sazanami, a JMSDF destroyer (Courtesy of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force)
On September 25, a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) escort ship passed through the Taiwan Strait for the first time. The Japanese government had previously been cautious about navigating the strait to avoid escalating tensions with China. However, due to a series of provocations by the Chinese military around Japan, it took this unprecedented countermeasure.
Concerns are growing over potential further backlash and increased military activity from China, prompting the government to heighten its vigilance.
In the past, the United States and other Western countries have dispatched warships through the Taiwan Strait to exercise their freedom of navigation and assert their presence. They aimed to check China's growing maritime expansion and military pressure on Taiwan.
Government Review Postponed
Tokyo had considered having JMSDF vessels navigate the Taiwan Strait to emphasize its commitment to regional stability. However, it refrained due to concerns over escalating Chinese provocations around the Senkaku Islands (Ishigaki City, Okinawa Prefecture). In one case in November 2019, Japanese and American vessels tracked a Chinese aircraft carrier. However, the Japanese vessels withdrew when the carrier entered the Taiwan Strait.
Despite Japan's cautions, the Chinese military has displayed "unusual activity" around Japan since August 2024. That is according to a Self-Defense Force (SDF) official. For example, a Y-9 reconnaissance aircraft violated Japanese airspace off the coast of Nagasaki Prefecture.
Not far away, a Chinese survey ship also entered Japanese territorial waters off Kagoshima Prefecture. Furthermore, the People's Liberation Army-Navy aircraft carrier Liaoning navigated through Japan's contiguous zone between Iriomote Island and Yonaguni Island in Okinawa Prefecture for the first time.
Chinese Countermeasure Concerns
Along with increased Chinese military activity, Russian military aircraft have also intentionally violated Japanese airspace off Hokkaido. A recent incident highlighted the growing cooperation between China and Russia.
Recognizing the increasingly severe security environment, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida decided to sail a JMSDF ship through the Taiwan Strait. It was a first for Japan, and Kishida intended the move to demonstrate a firm stance against China.
China may retaliate with countermeasures in the future. Both Japan and the US are currently in a period of political transition. The Liberal Democratic Party leadership election has concluded, and a new prime minister will take office in early October. All of this coincides with the upcoming US presidential election in early November.
Shifting Focus Back to the Indo-Pacific
Amid the chaotic situation in the Middle East, US forces have shifted their focus to the region. However, there have been periods when no US aircraft carriers were present in the Indo-Pacific, which faces China. Some analysts believe China has been increasing its pressure by exploiting the political and military vacuum.
An SDF official warned, "If we show any weakness, China will continue to take action." On September 26, SDF Chief of Staff Yoshihide Yoshida emphasized at a press conference, "It is crucial to prevent the situation from escalating further. We are committed to maintaining the status quo through vigilance and monitoring."
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Read the report in Japanese.
Author: Keita Ozawa, The Sankei Shimbun
