RISK TO RELATIONS
Japanese submarine in South China Sea military exercise
The drills may be seen as a challenge to China, which claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea
Tokyo — A Japanese submarine took part in a military exercise in the South China Sea last week in a move that is said to risk challenging improving relations between Japan and China. The exercise, which also involved five Japanese aircraft and three destroyers, took place on September 13, according to Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force. The announcement came a day after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Russia and hailed ties between the countries. Abe could visit Beijing as soon as October. The drills may be seen as a challenge to China, which claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea and opposed US military drills in the waters. Beijing boosted activity in the South China Sea by building bases and deploying missiles, part of Xi’s push to assert control over territory China has long claimed as its own. The submarine Kuroshio was on its way to a naval base in Vietnam, according to the defence force. The Asahi newspaper reported the...
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