PLAN ESF's run in with JMSDF's P-3C

I posted a few days ago about 525 and 138 visiting Vladivostok on a port call. It turns out that when they were rejoining 529 (054A) and 886 (a replenshiment ship), that caused quite the incident. Check this article:

hinese destroyer sailed through Tsugaru Strait

The Yomiuri Shimbun

Four Chinese naval vessels, including a destroyer and a supply ship, recently passed through the Tsugaru Strait bound for the Pacific Ocean, officials from the Joint Staff Office of the Defense Ministry announced Monday.

Chinese naval vessels had previously sailed through the same strait, but it is the first time that Chinese vessels with attack capabilities have navigated through the strait.

The naval vessels had sailed in international waters and although it did not infringe upon Japan's territorial waters, the Defense Ministry believes the Chinese Navy is stepping up activities in the Pacific Ocean.

According to a Joint Staff Office official, the Chinese vessels' movements were discovered by a P-3C patrol aircraft used by the Maritime Self-Defense Force about 35 kilometers off Tappizaki cape on the northwestern tip of the Tsugaru Peninsula in Aomori Prefecture, on Sunday evening

If you check CDF, you can see pictures from Japanese TV showing 529 and 886 sailing in the ocean.

The following two pictures give a good indication of the time line:


So basically:
1. 525/138 sailed off to Vladivostok on October 14th
2. 529/886 were spotted off Tsugaru Straight on October 17th
3. The 4 ships met on the eve of 18th or early morning of the 19th
4. P-3C found the 4 ships on 5 PM on the 19th.

I can see why JMSDF would feel agitated by this, but that route is by far the most convenient path to Vladivostok.