In a new sign of increasing naval activity by the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) near the Japanese archipelago, Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force reported that, during the early hours of July 24, a group of Chinese vessels was detected operating in waters west of the Gotō Islands in Nagasaki Prefecture. According to an official statement, the formation consisted of two Type 052D Luyang III-class guided-missile destroyers—hull numbers 134 and 118—escorted by a Type 903 Fuchi-class replenishment ship (hull number 886), which transited through the Tsushima Strait heading toward the Sea of Japan.
According to Japanese authorities, the deployment occurred approximately 90 kilometers off the coast of the Gotō Islands, an area that has become one of Japan’s key strategic observation points in response to the growing frequency of Chinese naval patrols in the vicinity. In response, the Self-Defense Forces deployed the Shirataka, a missile boat from the 3rd Missile Flotilla based in Sasebo, as well as P-1 maritime patrol aircraft from the 1st Air Fleet, based in Kanoya, to conduct surveillance, monitoring, and intelligence-gathering operations.
It is worth noting that this latest Chinese transit is part of a growing pattern of activity in the Asia-Pacific region, where the PLAN is steadily expanding its presence in maritime zones of geopolitical importance to Japan, such as the Miyako, Osumi, and Tsushima Straits. For Tokyo, the frequency and nature of these movements are not seen as routine training or navigation, but as deliberate actions by Beijing to project maritime power in traditionally sensitive areas—where strategic interests converge not only for Japan, but also for allies like the United States and South Korea.
Moreover, it is important to recall that the sustained increase in Chinese naval activity near access routes to the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea has been a recurring concern for Japan’s Ministry of Defense. In its recent Defense White Papers, the Ministry has highlighted the need to bolster deterrence amid an increasingly challenging security environment. It should also be noted that just weeks ago, the Chinese Navy deployed both of its aircraft carriers, Liaoning (CV-16) and Shandong (CV-17), in the Indo-Pacific region, with one of them sailing for the first time near the Japanese archipelagos—signaling a new shift in China’s posture beyond its coastal waters.
For many observers, the continuous deployment of destroyers and logistical vessels by the PLAN represents not only direct pressure on Japan’s western flank, but also a strategic effort to normalize its operational presence in key regional waters—especially in the face of ongoing activity by allied forces such as those of the United States.
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