On Wednesday, a Japanese Warship “Sazanami” navigated through the Taiwan Strait, marking the first time a modern Japanese warship has passed through this strategically significant waterway.
The destroyer was en route to multinational naval exercises, with Australian and New Zealand vessels also reported to have made similar transits through the strait.
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China has long opposed the passage of foreign naval vessels through the Taiwan Strait, asserting that it forms part of its territorial waters. However, Japan’s move aligns with the stance of the United States and its allies, who maintain that the strait constitutes international waters where freedom of navigation should be upheld. Recent transits by warships from countries such as Britain, Canada, France, Australia, and Germany have reinforced this position.
The Japanese ship’s transit comes as Prime Minister Fumio Kishida prepares to step down later this month.
In recent years, China has frequently tested Japan’s responses to its air and naval activities, but tensions have been escalating. Recently, a People’s Liberation Army Navy aircraft carrier sailed between two of Japan’s southern islands, and on Wednesday, China tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in decades—an event for which Japan had not been notified in advance.
Japan’s decision to send Sazanami through the Taiwan Strait is significant, particularly given its post-war policy of pacifism. Historically, the Japanese government has been cautious regarding military actions to avoid domestic unrest. A decade ago, such a move would have seemed unlikely, but as China’s assertiveness has grown, so too has Japan’s resolve to strengthen its national defense. This action also signals Japan’s commitment to standing with its allies and supporting Taiwan.
As of now, neither Japan’s government nor the Ministry of Defense has issued official statements regarding the transit.
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This event coincides with the U.N. General Assembly in New York, where U.S. President Joe Biden addressed his efforts to build strong trilateral relations with Japan and South Korea. These alliances form a key part of Biden’s strategy to counter China’s influence in the region.
“These partnerships are not aimed at any one nation,” Biden said on Tuesday. “They are the building blocks of a free, open, secure, and peaceful Indo-Pacific.”
