Japan’s defense ministry says that the Chinese Navy’s aircraft carrier Liaoning sailed in the Pacific Ocean southeast of Taiwan from Sunday through Monday, and the ministry confirmed that fighter jets took off from the carrier and landed on it.
The ministry said Liaoning and a missile destroyer were confirmed to be sailing in the Pacific Ocean about 460 kilometers south of Yonaguni Island in Okinawa Prefecture on Sunday afternoon.
In the surrounding waters, fighter jets and helicopters aboard Liaoning were confirmed taking off and landing on Monday.
The Chinese military said that Liaoning took part in large-scale military drills held around Taiwan.
It is believed that the aircraft carrier took part in drills in the surrounding waters.
Meanwhile, the defense ministry said that four Chinese naval vessels and two Russian destroyers, were confirmed to have navigated in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the Ogasawara Islands to Okinawa from Friday to Monday.
The six vessels passed through the Soya Strait after navigating in the Sea of Japan last month, and they almost traveled around Japan.
The Russian defense ministry said on Monday that the Russian and the Chinese navy jointly conducted a drill in the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean and a total of six vessels took part.
The Japanese defense ministry is analyzing the purpose of the navigation and continues warnings and surveillance.