Japan Navy destroyer quietly sailed through the Taiwan Strait last week. It marked a significant move in a region already full of tension. This action came just days after a close and risky encounter between a Chinese fighter jet and a Japanese patrol plane flying over the Pacific Ocean.
The Japanese destroyer, named Takanami, spent over 10 hours sailing from the East China Sea into the Taiwan Strait on June 12. After making its way through the strait, the warship continued southward and reached the waters near the Philippines, particularly off Luzon Island.
This is not the first time Japan has taken this route. In fact, it is the third known time a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) ship has passed through the Taiwan Strait in the past year. These actions are being watched closely, especially by China. According to diplomatic sources, China’s military tracked the entire movement of the Japanese vessel during its journey.
Japan, along with the United States and other allied countries, views the Taiwan Strait as international waters. China, however, disagrees, claiming Taiwan as part of its own territory. Moves like this by Japan are often interpreted as challenges to China’s growing pressure on Taiwan, which is a self-ruled and democratic island.
Jet Incident Pushes Japan to Act
The timing of the destroyer’s movement is especially important because it followed a close aerial incident involving China and Japan. On June 7 and 8, Japan’s Defense Ministry reported that a Chinese J-15 fighter jet flew dangerously close to a Japanese P-3C surveillance aircraft. The encounter happened in the Pacific Ocean, over international waters, but the Chinese jet came as close as 45 meters to the Japanese plane.
This kind of behavior is considered unsafe in the skies, especially between military aircraft. The event raised concerns and likely influenced Japan’s next steps in showing its presence in the region.
Japan’s usual policy has been to avoid sailing its military ships through the Taiwan Strait, mainly to prevent any unnecessary conflict or tension with China. However, with increasing military actions by China around Taiwan and in nearby waters, Japan seems to be shifting its strategy.
These movements suggest Japan is becoming more open to joining efforts that demonstrate the importance of free movement through international waters. While the Japanese government has not officially confirmed the passage of the destroyer, the information has come from reliable diplomatic sources.
Joint Exercises Add to the Message
Following its passage through the Taiwan Strait, the Takanami destroyer did not return home. Instead, it moved toward the South China Sea — another region under increasing tension — where it conducted a joint naval exercise with the Philippine Navy.
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The joint exercise took place near waters claimed by the Philippines, an area where China has also been expanding its presence. China’s increased activity in this part of the sea has led to frequent clashes over control and territorial rights.
This military cooperation between Japan and the Philippines further highlights the strengthening ties between countries concerned about China’s growing influence in regional seas. It also signals more frequent joint actions in areas that are considered international but are becoming increasingly contested.
Japan’s naval force, the MSDF, rarely takes part in such activities in these specific waters. But now, with a rising number of incidents and challenges in the region, Japan appears to be stepping up its involvement. The earlier two MSDF destroyer movements through the Taiwan Strait — in September of last year and again in February this year — had also gone unannounced by the Japanese government.
Although officials in Tokyo have stayed quiet, the steady pattern of naval activity sends a message on its own. The movement of the Takanami, combined with the timing of the jet incident and the joint drill with the Philippines, marks a series of events that point to Japan becoming more active in defending navigation rights and maintaining a presence in key maritime zones.
These events have been tracked not only by China but by observers around the world who are closely watching the balance of military activity in Asia’s most contested waters.