By DAISUKE YAJIMA/ Staff Writer
September 12, 2025 at 15:19 JST
The Chinese Navy's aircraft carrier, the Fujian, sighted by Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force (Provided by the Self-Defense Forces)
Japan's Defense Ministry on Sept. 11 announced that the Maritime Self-Defense Force has for the first time spotted China's third and newest aircraft carrier, the Fujian, sailing in the East China Sea.
The carrier, which was launched in 2022 and has been undergoing sea trials, was reportedly sailing northwest of disputed islands.
The Chinese side has stated that the Fujian will be operationally deployed as early as 2025.
The Defense Ministry said it is conducting surveillance and intelligence gathering.
According to the ministry, at around 1 p.m. on Sept. 11, an MSDF P-3C patrol aircraft confirmed a flotilla of three vessels sailing southwest: the Fujian; a Sovremennyy-class guided-missile destroyer; and a Luyang II-class guided-missile destroyer.
They were located about 200 kilometers northwest of Uotsurishima island, part of the Senkaku Islands off Okinawa Prefecture, which are controlled by Japan but also claimed by China and Taiwan.
No carrier-based aircraft were seen on the Fujian's flight deck. The vessels reportedly did not approach Japanese territorial waters and continued to sail in a southwesterly direction.
The Fujian, which has a maximum displacement of 80,000 tons and a total length of 315 meters, is said to be the “world's largest conventionally powered warship.”
It is believed to be capable of operating carrier-based aircraft while carrying large amounts of fuel and ammunition.
It is equipped with the Chinese military’s first electromagnetic catapult launch system.
Unlike the previous two carriers—the Liaoning and the Shandong—a key feature of the Fujian is that the front of its flight deck is flat, similar to U.S. aircraft carriers.
The deployment of the Fujian is believed to be made with a potential "Taiwan contingency" in mind.
Once the vessel enters service, it is expected to greatly enhance the Chinese military's operational capabilities.
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