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Japan protests after Chinese warship conducts live-fire drill in its exclusive economic zone

· Conflict JPNCHNRUS

Japan lodged a diplomatic protest on Monday after a Chinese Luyang III-class missile destroyer carried out a live-fire exercise inside its exclusive economic zone, the first such incident publicly disclosed by Tokyo. The drill took place in the early hours of 19 July roughly 180 kilometres southwest of Okinotori Island, the defence ministry said.

Three Chinese naval vessels and a Russian frigate were observed heading northeast about 330 kilometres from the island around 02:00 local time before the Chinese destroyer broke off to conduct the exercise. The Russian frigate remained in the vicinity during the live-fire drills, and Japan dispatched a destroyer to monitor the situation. Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi described the activity as a joint Chinese-Russian live-fire exercise in Japanese waters.

Government spokesperson Minoru Kihara confirmed the protest, saying the drills posed risks to nearby shipping. China regards Okinotori as a rock rather than an island, disputing Japan's EEZ claim around it.

Covered by 16 outlets across 11 countries

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The reporting this story is built on

jiji.com JPN 中国、日本ＥＥＺ内で射撃訓練 ロシア艦艇も付近航行：時事ドットコムrtp.pt PRT Japão afirma que a China realizou um exercício de fogo real nas suas águaslavanguardia.com ESP Japón denuncia por primera vez un ejercicio de China con fuego real en sus aguas
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Others reporting the same event

focus.de DEU Ein chinesisches Kriegsschiff hat erstmals in der exklusiven Wirtschaftszone Japans Schießübungen mit scharfer Munition durchgeführteuronews.com سفينة حربية صينية تجري تدريبات بالذخيرة الحية داخل المنطقة الاقتصادية اليابانية للمرة الأولىdw.com DEU 日本抗议中俄在日专属经济区实弹演习 北京驳斥“抹黑炒作”adnkronos.com ITA China Holds Firing Exercises within Japan's EEZnikkei.com JPN 中国外務省、日本EEZ内での射撃演習を正当化 「国際法に合致」 - 日本経済新聞elmundo.es ESP China mantiene el pulso sobre Taiwan con nuevos ejercicios militares con fuego real en el estrechocna.com.tw TWN 中國公布 連2天在台灣海峽部分海域實彈射擊 | 兩岸 | 中央社 CNAagerpres.ro ROU China a început două zile de exerciții militare cu muniție reală în Strâmtoarea Taiwan

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