Seven ships, including destroyers and frigate ships of the Russian Navy, passed between Smith Island and Torishima in the Izu Islands from the 16th to the 17th, and the SDF vessels confirmed that they proceeded in the southwest direction.
All seven ships were confirmed to be navigating the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Chiba Prefecture on the 16th, and helicopters were also confirmed to fly from the frigate when navigating near the Izu Islands.
In addition, according to the Ministry of Defense, on the morning of the 17th, it was confirmed that nine ships including the Russian Navy's missile escort patrol boat were sailing in the sea area about 40 km north of Cape Soya in Hokkaido, and nine ships after that. , It means that we went west on the Soya Strait and entered the Sea of Japan.
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced this month that it will conduct a major exercise in the Pacific Ocean, and the Ministry of Defense is analyzing the purpose of the navigation, including its relevance to this exercise.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defense announced on the 16th that the Maritime Self-Defense Force confirmed that two Chinese Navy missile destroyers had traveled eastward through the Soya Strait and entered the Sea of Okhotsk.
This month, it was confirmed that four Chinese Navy vessels, including these two, had passed through the Tsushima Strait and entered the Sea of Japan, and the other two were leaving the Pacific Ocean through the Tsugaru Strait on the 16th. ..
Since the Soya Strait and Tsugaru Strait are so-called "international straits," foreign vessels, including warships, are internationally recognized for navigation.
The Ministry of Defense continues to gather information, guard, and monitor the navigation of both Russian and Chinese vessels.