Chinese Flattop Likely to Remain around Japan for 1 Month

Tokyo, Dec. 10 (Jiji Press)--The Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning is now capable of operating around Japan for some one month, as a replenishment ship joined the flattop battle group on Monday, according to Japan’s Defense Agency.

The supply vessel became part of the group about 490 kilometers east of Kitadaitojima Island in the southernmost Japan prefecture of Okinawa, the ministry’s Joint Staff Office said Tuesday.

According to the office, at least one J-15 fighter flying from the Liaoning directed its radar at the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force’s F-15 aircraft some 270 kilometers west of Okinawa’s Okidaitojima Island on Saturday afternoon. Thereafter, the fleet navigated northeast in waters around 190 kilometers east off Kikaijima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on Sunday and turned east toward where the team got the replenishment ship the following day.

Between Saturday and Monday, the Liaoning conducted more than 140 aircraft takeoffs and landings, the office noted, adding that the flattop strike group was confirmed in the western Pacific about 500 kilometers north of Tokyo’s Okinotorishima Island on Tuesday.

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