Japan: We have tracked Russian ships near Taiwan and Okinawa Islands

Japan's Ministry of Defense announced late on Friday, July 9, that it had observed and identified two Russian naval vessels in waters near Taiwan and the Okinawa Islands in Japan four days prior to this date. Taiwan's Ministry of Defense also stated last Tuesday that it had tracked two Russian frigates off its eastern coast and dispatched aircraft and ships to monitor them. The Japanese government had announced in June that Russia's relentless military activities, including joint maneuvers with Chinese forces, continue near Japanese territory, raising serious concerns for Japan's national security. According to Japan's Ministry of Defense, the two 'Steregushchy' class frigates were tracked early Tuesday morning 70 kilometers southwest of Yonaguni Island in the Okinawa region near Taiwan. The ministry emphasized that the Russian frigates regularly passed through the waters between Yonaguni and Taiwan, with the last sighting occurring on Friday between the Miyako and Okinawa Islands. Meanwhile, the Russian news agency Interfax reported last Tuesday that several ships from the Russian Pacific Fleet had entered the southern parts of the Philippine Sea to carry out their long-term maritime passage duties in the region. The Japanese military is also seeking to utilize the Starlink satellite internet service.