Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships also continued to operate around Japan this week, although at a lower number and tempo.
A PLAN Dongdiao class surveillance ship carrying hull number 796 was spotted about 60 miles west of the coast of Aomori Prefecture, Honshu, early Sunday, and sailed northeast towards the Tsugaru Strait between Honshu and Hokkaido, according to a Monday statement from the MoD.
However, the ship turned around about 13 miles west of Cape Tappi and sailed southwest into the Sea of Japan. Multipurpose support ship JS Suo (AMS-4302) monitored the PLAN ship, according to the release.
A PLAN frigate was sighted sailing east in an area 30 miles north of Aguni Island, which is located northwest of Okinawa, early Sunday, according to an MoD release.
CNS Hengshui (572) Japanese Joint Staff Office Photo
The frigate was identified as CNS Hengshui (572). The ship then sailed north along the western side of the Nansei Islands, and on Monday, was sighted 56 miles southwest off Kusagaki Island where it turned west to sail into the East China Sea.
Destroyers JS Sazanami (DD-113) and JS Yugiri (DD-153) along with a JMSDF P-1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) of Fleet Air Wing 1 stationed at JMSDF Kanoya Air Base, Kyushu, and a P-3C Orion MPA of Fleet Air Wing 5 stationed at Naha Air Base, Okinawa, conducted surveillance on the PLAN frigate.
On Tuesday the JSO said Dongdiao 796 was spotted sailing southwest in an area 120 km north of the Oki Islands. On Tuesday, it sailed southwest through the Tsushima Strait into the East China Sea.
Dongdiao 796 Japanese Joint Staff Office Photo
Multipurpose support ship JS Hiuchi (AMS-4301) and fast attack craft JS Otaka (PG-826), along with JMSDF P-1 MPAs of Fleet Air Wing 4 stationed at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, monitored the PLAN ship.