According to the Ministry of Defense, on the night of the 17th, a Chinese Navy vessel heading west from the continental zone south of Yakushima in Kagoshima Prefecture toward the territorial waters was connected to the west of Kuchinoerabu Island on the early morning of the 18th. It was confirmed that it was sailing westward in the water area.
The Ministry of Defense has announced that the ship "has been determined to have sailed in Japan's territorial waters."
This is the fourth invasion of Chinese Navy vessels into the territorial waters since July 2017, four years ago.