Japan’s military detected a Russian submarine near Taiwan on Tuesday and took immediate action to monitor it.
A Kilo-class submarine, accompanied by a Russian naval vessel, was spotted 50 kilometers south of Yonaguni Island, Japan’s westernmost territory near Taiwan. It moved northeast between Yonaguni and Iriomote Islands. This marked the first sighting of a Russian submarine in the area, according to the Japanese Joint Staff.
Japan Strengthens Surveillance Amid Rising Tensions
The Self-Defence Forces (SDF) dispatched a combat support ship and a P-3 surveillance aircraft to conduct reconnaissance. Officials confirmed no breach of Japan’s territorial waters. The sighting followed the Philippine military’s report of a similar submarine in the South China Sea a day earlier.
Increased Chinese and Russian military activities near Japan have escalated tensions. On Sunday, a Chinese warship was observed near Miyako Island. In September, the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning, with two destroyers, passed near Yonaguni, entering Japan’s contiguous zone.
To address these threats, Japan has reinforced its defenses around key remote islands and continues to closely monitor regional activities.