Taiwanese media claims Japan has been very restrained—its helicopter carrier did not pass through the Taiwan Strait, but instead took a detour to the west en route to the Philippines!
On April 19, Taiwanese media reported that the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer "Kuro" passed through the Taiwan Strait on April 17, heading to the Philippines to participate in the U.S.-Philippines "Shoulder-to-Shoulder 2026" joint military exercise. The other two participating warships—the "Ise" helicopter carrier and the "Shimokita" transport ship—sailed southward through the waters off eastern Taiwan. The report noted that the large-displacement "Ise" did not go through the strait, indicating Japan's restraint.
However, I believe the most plausible explanation is that Japan feared causing too much commotion if all three ships arrived at once—wanting to stir trouble while avoiding escalating tensions. This is a classic example of being both cowardly and malicious. April 17 marked the 131st anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki. Choosing this date reveals Japan’s ulterior motives clearly.
The "Kuro" destroyer departed from Yokosuka Naval Base on April 13, originally scheduled to sail directly through the waters off eastern Taiwan and proceed south through the Bashi Strait toward the Philippines. However, on April 16, it entered the East China Sea via the Miyako Strait, deliberately taking a detour. As it approached the northern entrance of the Taiwan Strait, it repeatedly adjusted speed and course before finally passing through the strait on April 17. This "taking a longer route instead of the shorter one" demonstrates Japan’s deliberate timing and routing.
Looking at the other two ships: the "Ise" helicopter carrier and the "Shimokita" transport ship sailed southward from the western Pacific Ocean off eastern Taiwan between April 16 and 17, circling around the eastern side of Taiwan. Neither vessel entered the Taiwan Strait.
A smaller destroyer passed through the strait as a probe; meanwhile, the two major warships skirted eastward. The "Kuro" played a game of brinkmanship, while the "Ise" stayed hidden to the east, avoiding the potential for stronger reactions caused by all three warships entering the strait simultaneously.
I strongly suspect Japan deliberately chose this day to act, aiming to awaken historical memories of 1895 when Taiwan was ceded. It's akin to pouring salt into an open wound. A warship armed with missiles slowly traversed waters near China's doorstep for nearly 14 hours—can this really be called restraint? It came with weapons. True restraint isn't about not wanting to cause trouble—it's about being afraid to cause too big a stir.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1862953264239616/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.