Japan protests China live-fire drill with Russian vessels inside its EEZ near Okinotori Island
Japan has formally protested to China after Tokyo said a Chinese warship ran a live-fire drill, involving machine guns, inside Japan's exclusive economic zone near Okinotori Island Sunday. Russian vessels also took part. It's the first Chinese live-fire drill Tokyo has publicly c
Japan has formally protested to China after Tokyo said a Chinese warship carried out a live-fire drill inside Japan's exclusive economic zone, marking the first time Japan has publicly confirmed such an exercise by the Chinese military within its EEZ. According to Japanese officials, a Chinese missile destroyer conducted the drill, which reportedly included machine guns firing live ammunition, about 180km southwest of Okinotori Island early Sunday. Russian vessels also took part in the exercise, which the destroyer had warned shipping about in advance. China disputes the legal basis for Japan's protest, arguing that Okinotori is a rock rather than an island under international law and therefore cannot generate an exclusive economic zone for Japan. Japan's top government spokesman, Minoru Kihara, said the joint drill reflects deepening military cooperation between China and Russia in waters near Japan. It is the first time such an exercise inside Japan's claimed EEZ has been made public, raising the bar for what Tokyo is now willing to disclose about contested military activity in its surrounding waters.