Russian submarine stirs tension in Japan's territorial waters
A Russian submarine has passed through the waters between the Japanese islands for the first time, the Japanese Ministry of Defence reported on Tuesday, highlighting its significance for regional security.
3 December 2024 11:33
The Japanese Ministry of Defence announced on Tuesday that a Russian submarine travelled through the waters between the islands of Yonaguni and Iriomote in Okinawa Prefecture. This marks the first such incident and has sparked a strong reaction from the Japanese defence forces.
The Russian rescue tug Altay and a Kilo-class submarine travelled in a north-eastern direction, approximately 48 kilometres south of Yonaguni Island. According to the Japanese ministry, the Kremlin's vessels were headed towards the East China Sea.
A Russian submarine between the Japanese islands. Japan is concerned
Philippine Navy spokesperson Roy Vincent Trinidad confirmed that the Kilo-class unit surfaced on November 28th about 148 kilometres west of Cape Calavite in the western province of Occidental Mindoro. This is within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.
The crew did not explain why they were in this area. They only stated that "they are waiting for weather conditions to improve before heading to Vladivostok, Russia."
President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assessed the presence of the Russian unit in this area as "very concerning." The waters where the Russian units were seen are a disputed area, with China also claiming rights to it.
