Japan spots unknown submarine near their territorial waters

The Defence Ministry of Japan reported sighting an unidentified submarine around Amami Islands in the island nation’s contiguous zone o June 20. Japenese Maritime Self-Defence Force identified a submarine northeast of the Amami Islands on the evening of June 18. The same submarine was spotted to the west of Yokoate-jima island on the outskirts of the contiguous zone.

Daily Current Affairs Quiz 2020

Under international law, submarines must surface and raise their national flags inside foreign territorial waters. But underwater cruises are not banned in contiguous zones, which surround territorial waters.

Amami Island

Amami Island is an archipelago in the Satsunan Islands, which is part of the Ryukyu Islands, and is southwest of Kiyushu. Administratively, the group belongs to Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.

The Geospatial Information Authority of Japan and the Japan Coast Guard agreed on February 15, 2010, to use the name of Amami-guntō for the Amami Islands.

Submarine

Submarine is a naval vessel that is capable of propelling itself beneath the water as well as on the water’s surface. This is a unique capability among warships, and submarines are quite different in design and appearance from surface ships.

The submarine was first used as an offensive weapon in naval warfare during the American Revolution (1775–83).

The Russian Navy’s Typhoon Class submarine tops the list of the world’s biggest submarines.