Japan releases first official footage tracking China's navy vessels, prompting questions over 3-week surveillance gap

The Joint Staff Office of the Japanese Ministry of Defense released footage on Friday showing on-site tracking of Chinese naval vessels, including the aircraft carrier Liaoning and the Type 055 large destroyer. This is the first time such footage has been released by Japanese authorities, according to the Yomiuri Shimbun. 

The Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning was conducting a routine exercise in accordance with the Chinese navy's annual plan, operating in multiple sea and air spaces, including the South China Sea and the Western Pacific, according to an earlier announcement by the Chinese navy when the aircraft carrier concluded its training in June. 

The operations complied with relevant international law and practice and are not aimed at any specific country or objective, the Chinese navy said. 

However, Japanese vessels and aircraft repeatedly conducted close-range tracking and surveillance, causing disturbances and provocations, the Chinese navy added, which can also be seen in the video footage released by the Japanese authorities.

It was noted that the information released by Japan did not include any activities of the Liaoning Carrier Task Group (CTG Liaoning) between May 30 and June 19, which left some experts wondering whether the Japanese Self-Defense Forces have "lost track" of CTG Liaoning.

In recent years, Japan has enhanced its maritime surveillance capabilities and anti-surface warfare capabilities. It has also participated in highly offensive multinational naval exercises, including the recent Valiant Shield 2026, jointly held with the US, from June 22 to July 1. During the exercise, Japan carried out the deliberate sinking of a decommissioned US warship with a torpedo.