Repeated surveys by Chinese research ship raise security concerns in Japan

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A series of repeated surveys conducted by a Chinese marine research vessel in Japan's exclusive economic zone near the disputed Senkaku Islands has raised security concerns, according to Kyodo News. The vessel, named the Xiang Yang Hong 22, carried out five surveys from March to July, traveling back and forth across a 66-kilometer-by-11-kilometer area surrounding the uninhabited islands.

The Japanese government has noted a significant increase in Chinese marine activity in the region, with 13 such instances recorded through July compared to six in 2025.

Defense Ministry sources suggest that the surveys could be part of China's preparation for a potential invasion of Taiwan, as the seafloor and marine conditions would be valuable for military purposes. China considers the self-governed islands as a renegade province that should be reoccupied by force if necessary. Japan has protested the surveys through diplomatic channels and increased surveillance.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry claims that conducting scientific research in an exclusive economic zone without the consent of the coastal state violates the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The surveys may also be politically motivated, according to Masayuki Masuda, head of the unit analyzing the Chinese military at Japan's National Institute for Defense Studies.