Japan SDF destroyer sails through Taiwan Strait for 1st time

[Harpy Eagle]

Japan SDF destroyer sails through Taiwan Strait for 1st time

Ship accompanied by Australian and New Zealand naval vessels

asia.nikkei.com

The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer Sazanami passed through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, government sources confirmed to Nikkei, the first time such a transit has happened since the MSDF was established.

The Kishida government aims to assert Japan's right to freedom of navigation and counter China's increasingly active military moves near Japan.

Up to now, Japan has refrained from having MSDF vessels sail through the strait. With the unprecedented move, Japan joins the other countries engaging in freedom-of-navigation exercises: the U.S., France, the U.K., and Germany most recently.

The more countries that do this, the less China can do about it.

Good to see

 

[0311]

Japan SDF destroyer sails through Taiwan Strait for 1st time

Ship accompanied by Australian and New Zealand naval vessels

asia.nikkei.com

The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer Sazanami passed through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, government sources confirmed to Nikkei, the first time such a transit has happened since the MSDF was established.

The Kishida government aims to assert Japan's right to freedom of navigation and counter China's increasingly active military moves near Japan.

Up to now, Japan has refrained from having MSDF vessels sail through the strait. With the unprecedented move, Japan joins the other countries engaging in freedom-of-navigation exercises: the U.S., France, the U.K., and Germany most recently.

The more countries that do this, the less China can do about it.

Good to see

WOW, given the history between China and Japan this is really important. Any response from Taiwan?