US Ally Shadows Russian and Chinese Spy Ships Near Coast

Newsweek

4 days ago

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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Japan—a key United States security ally—tracked Russian and Chinese spy ships sailing near its coastline, as Moscow and Beijing flexed their naval power through joint maneuvers.
Newsweek has contacted the Russian and Chinese foreign ministries for comment via email.
Why It Matters
Japan is part of a north-south island chain—along with Taiwan and the Philippines—in the Western Pacific, under a U.S. containment strategy that aims to restrict the military activities of Washington's adversaries, namely Russia and its quasi-ally China, in the event of war.
Chinese and Russian warships take part in a joint naval exercise in the East China Sea on December 27, 2022.
Chinese and Russian warships take part in a joint naval exercise in the East China Sea on December 27, 2022.
Xu Wei/Xinhua via AP
Under their strategic partnership "without limitations," Russia and China have deepened military ties to challenge America's dominance in the Indo-Pacific. Earlier this month, the navies of both countries conducted a war game and a joint patrol in the Russian Far East.
What To Know
On Tuesday, the Joint Staff of Japan's Defense Ministry reported Russian and Chinese naval activities near the country. A Russian intelligence-gathering ship transited the Tsugaru Strait eastward between Saturday and Sunday. It was identified by its hull number as the Kurily.
The narrow waterway in northern Japan lies between two of the country's main islands—Honshu in the south and Hokkaido in the north—connecting the Sea of Japan, also referred to as the East Sea in South Korea, in the west with the wider Pacific Ocean in the east.
Another foreign intelligence-gathering ship, operated by China, passed through the Osumi Strait off the southern coast of Kyushu—Japan's southernmost main island—on Monday. It was spotted entering the East China Sea in the west from the Philippine Sea in the east.
The Chinese ship was identified by its hull number as CNS Yuhengxing.
According to maps provided by Tokyo, neither spy ship entered Japan's territorial waters. While territorial waters generally extend up to 13.8 miles from the coastline, Japan claims less than that in the Osumi and Tsugaru Straits to maintain high seas corridors.
In both incidents, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force deployed ships and aircraft to monitor the Russian and Chinese vessels and gather intelligence, according to reports.
On August 8, two Chinese vessels and a Russian warship transited the Soya Strait—also known as the La Pérouse Strait—north of Hokkaido on an eastbound voyage, traveling from the Sea of Japan into the Sea of Okhotsk during their joint patrol following an exercise.
What People Are Saying
Japan's defense white paper 2025 commented: "The Russian military is continuing active military activities in the vicinity of Japan and its surrounding areas, showing its tendency to deploy the latest military equipment in the Far East. Russia's military activities in the Indo-Pacific region, including Japan, coupled with its strategic partnership with China, are posing a strong security concern."
Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, a spokesperson for China's Defense Ministry, said at a press conference on August 8: "China and Russia adhere to the principles of non-alliance, non-confrontation, and not targeting any third party in developing bilateral and military relations, and jointly play an important role in safeguarding international and regional peace and stability."
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether the Russian and Chinese naval vessels participating in the joint patrol will sail near Japan's coastline again in the coming days. As reported on Tuesday, they were docked near the Bering Sea, which borders Alaska and the Aleutian Islands.