Minoru Kihara reports that a Chinese missile destroyer fired live rounds for the first time within Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
Minoru Kihara, Japan’s top government spokesman, confirmed that a Chinese missile destroyer conducted a drill using live ammunition approximately 180km from Okinotori, Japan’s southernmost island. This marks the first time the Japanese defense ministry has acknowledged a foreign navy vessel firing live rounds within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The drill occurred as tensions rise in the region, following a clash between Chinese and Philippine sailors in the South China Sea. While Tokyo views the exercise as a move toward strengthening military cooperation, Beijing disputes the designation of Okinotori as an island, arguing it is a reef and therefore the waters are not part of Japan’s EEZ. Japan notified China via diplomatic channels that the drill could have endangered nearby navigation. The administration of Japan continues to monitor the behaviors of Chinese and Russian vessels as regional maritime activity increases. Meanwhile, the United States has condemned China’s provocations, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirming a commitment to freedom of navigation in Southeast Asia.