Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said that maintaining a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region is important, especially considering China's growing maritime aggression in the region, during talks with his ASEAN counterparts on Wednesday
"Japan confirmed five Russian naval vessels have been sailing southward off Hokkaido in the Pacific Ocean and then passing through the Tsushima Strait in southwestern Japan before moving to the Sea of Japan since mid-June," Kishi said.
Kishi described the actions as "almost circling Japan," and said three Chinese navy ships were following a similar path as well.
"Japan expresses concern over nearly 10 Russian and Chinese ships moving around our nation in such a short period of time in similar courses," Kishi said.
He added that another six Chinese vessels passed near the southern island prefecture of Okinawa when they moved from the East China Sea toward the Pacific from Tuesday to Wednesday.