Japan on alert as Chinese flotilla approaches to join forces with Russia for drills

Tokyo is keeping a close watch on a flotilla of five Chinese naval vessels that have entered the Sea of Japan, or East Sea, and are expected to join up with Russian counterparts to conduct joint maritime and air exercises in the coming days.

China’s Defence Ministry on Monday confirmed that the joint drills, known as Northern United 2024, would take place in the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk.

Neither Beijing nor Moscow has provided details of the manoeuvres, although Beijing said in a statement that the aim was to enhance the two nations’ strategic cooperation and “strengthen their ability to jointly deal with security threats”.

Tokyo sees improved joint capabilities between its two powerful neighbours as a cause for concern.

“In the last few years, but especially since 2019, we have seen warships and aircraft from China and Russia carrying out joint patrols and increasing their activities around Japan,” said Masayuki Masuda, from the National Institute for Defence Studies in Tokyo.

“From China’s perspective, to have Russia as a strategic partner is an opportunity to send a political signal to the US and Japan and, more particularly, to the Japan-US security alliance,” he told This Week in Asia.