The Daily Populous Monday September 13rd, 2021 night edition
Authored by kfgo.com and submitted by seacobs

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s defence ministry said on Sunday that a submarine believed to be from China was spotted in waters near its southern islands, as maritime tensions persist in the Pacific.

Japan’s navy on Friday morning identified a submerged vessel sailing northwest just outside territorial waters near Amami Oshima island, part of Kagoshima prefecture, the ministry said in a statement. A Chinese destroyer was also spotted in the vicinity.

Tokyo has complained https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-japan-china-navy-idUKKBN26W0BF of numerous intrusions by Chinese vessels of its territorial waters and near disputed islands in recent years. China has often reacted angrily to U.S. ships sailing through disputed areas of the South China Sea in what Washington calls displays of freedom of navigation https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-says-drove-away-us-warship-schina-sea-2021-07-12.

Senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi, visiting Vietnam during a Southeast Asia trip, said those two countries should refrain https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-vietnam-should-avoid-magnifying-s-china-sea-disputes-chinas-wang-yi-2021-09-11 from unilateral actions regarding the South China Sea that could complicate and magnify disputes.

Saturday’s announcement said Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force identified the vessels in a contiguous zone, which is outside territorial waters where vessels are required to identify themselves. Still, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi instructed his staff “gather information and maintain vigilant surveillance with a sense of urgency,” the statement said.

Officials at the Chinese embassy could not immediately be reached for comment on Sunday.

The submarine continued underwater westward in the ocean near Yokoate Island, the ministry said.

Lolwut100494 on September 12nd, 2021 at 19:13 UTC »

NEAR territorial waters

I think we need to emphasize this key term before we get into a hysteria.

Inowthese on September 12nd, 2021 at 17:14 UTC »

Near territorial waters is a weird way of saying international waters.

iwreckon on September 12nd, 2021 at 16:39 UTC »

China replies, probably:

"those are our territorial waters and if you were close enough to see our submarine that means you were trespassing. This is further proof of historical Japanese antagonistic and war mongering behavior towards peaceful Chinese nation and we demand immediate apology" /s.