Chinese aircraft carrier enters territorial waters for the first time waters of Japan. This was reported by Reuters, referring to the Japanese public broadcaster NHK, quoted by BTA.
The warship was sailing between the southern Japanese islands of Yonaguni and Iriomote. The aircraft carrier entered an area that extends 24 nautical miles from the coastline where Japan can exercise some control, as defined by the United Nations.
Last month, Japan filed a protest against China after one of its naval vessels entered Japanese waters shortly after violating its airspace. In July, a Japanese Navy destroyer made a rare incursion into China's territorial waters near Taiwan.
The increase in Chinese military activity near Japan and around Taiwan in recent years has raised concerns in Tokyo. Japan responded with a defense buildup aimed at deterring Beijing from using military force to assert its territorial claims in the region.
Taiwan's defense ministry said it spotted the same Chinese aircraft carrier group sailing off its east coast in the direction of Yonaguni, Japan's southernmost island, which is about 110 km east of Taiwan.
China, which views democratically-ruled Taiwan as its territory, has conducted regular exercises around the island for five years to pressure Taiwan to accept Beijing's claims to sovereignty, despite strong objections from Taipei.