Overview

• The Japanese destroyer JS Sazanami navigated the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, marking the first such transit by a Japanese warship.
• The passage was conducted alongside naval vessels from Australia and New Zealand, ahead of planned military exercises in the South China Sea
• China, which claims sovereignty over the strait, monitored the transit and lodged a complaint with Japan, citing security concerns.
• Japan's government cited repeated Chinese military incursions into its airspace as a key reason for the transit, reflecting heightened regional tensions.
• The move aligns with similar freedom of navigation operations by the US and its allies, challenging Beijing's territorial claims over the Taiwan Strait.