Japan destroyer passes through Taiwan Strait for first time, newspaper reports

26/9/2024 12:33

        Japan's Self Defense Force patrolled the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday for the first time in an attempt to send a message to China, the Yomiuri newspaper reported, citing multiple government sources.
        
        SDF destroyer Sazanami entered the waters from the East China Sea on Wednesday morning, spending more than 10 hours sailing southward to complete the passage, the Japanese newspaper reported on Thursday.
        
        The passage was conducted in concert with naval ships from Australia and New Zealand, the paper said, adding the three nations' navies were scheduled to hold joint exercises in the South China Sea starting on Thursday.
        
        Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi declined to comment on the report, while expressing concern about China's increased military activity in the region.