TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Japanese media on Friday reported that a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer transited the Taiwan Strait last week. 

The JMSDF ship the Takanami transited the Taiwan Strait moving southward on June 12, Kyodo News reported, citing diplomatic sources. The Takanami’s journey marks the third transit through the strait by a Japanese naval vessel since September. 

The first transit occurred in September, when the JMSDF Sazanami, joined Australian and New Zealand naval vessels for a freedom of navigation exercise. In February, the JMDSF Akizuki also transited the Taiwan Strait. 

The Takanami sailed eastward from the Pacific, before turning south to pass through waters near Taiwan. The vessel sailed slowly for approximately 10 hours before it reached waters off of Luzon, where it joined a maritime exercise with the Philippine Navy on June 14, per UDN. 

The Chinese navy was reportedly tracking the Takanami’s transit, with two Chinese vessels trailing the Japanese ship at distances of 18 km and 30 km. 

Kyodo News reported that the vessel’s transit was intended as a warning to China. The Takanami’s transit came just days after a Chinese fighter jet taking off from the Shandong aircraft carrier came dangerously close to a Japanese surveillance plane over the Pacific Ocean.  

At the time of the encounter, Japan was closely monitoring the activities of the Shandong and Liaoning aircraft carriers. In early June, the ships were jointly deployed for the first time in waters east of Taiwan.