Eight Chinese naval vessels, including an aircraft carrier, passed between islands in Japan's southern Okinawa chain on Monday, Japan's Defense Ministry said in a news release.
According to the ministry, the ships, which included several destroyers, sailed between the main Okinawa island and Miyakojima. The ministry said that helicopters on board the Liaoning carrier took off and landed, although there was no incursion into Japan's territorial waters.
China's Defense Ministry did not respond to calls seeking comment during a national holiday.
The U.S. 7th Fleet, part of the Navy's Pacific force, did not respond immediately to a request for comment. Taiwan's Defense Ministry said it would monitor the movements of the carrier group, and described the situation as normal. A Chinese aircraft carrier was confirmed to have passed through the area for the first time since December last year, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK.