Japan Challenges Chinese Naval Drills Near Okinotori Island

A sharp diplomatic row has erupted between Tokyo and Beijing following live-fire military exercises conducted within Japan’s exclusive economic zone. The drills, bolstered by Russian naval participation, centered on waters surrounding Okinotori Island, a feature that Beijing refuses to recognize as a legitimate basis for Japanese maritime claims.

Editorial·July 21, 2026·reads: 2,431

Japan Challenges Chinese Naval Drills Near Okinotori Island

The exercises took place 180 kilometers southwest of the island, reigniting a long-standing dispute over international maritime law. While Japan asserts its rights to the surrounding economic zone, China maintains that Okinotori is merely a reef, stripping it of the status required to generate exclusive jurisdictional claims. Defense Minister Minoru Kihara condemned the maneuvers, warning that the live-fire activity poses a direct hazard to commercial and civilian vessels navigating the area.

Beijing dismissed these objections through foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, characterizing Tokyo’s protests as groundless. This friction highlights a broader trend of deepening military cooperation between China and Russia in the Pacific, further complicating regional security dynamics as both nations assert greater influence over contested maritime corridors.