According to the report, the British aircraft carrier is expected to dock at Yokosuka naval base and in Tokyo during its time in Japan. Yokosuka is also home to the U.S. aircraft carrier USS George Washington, which is currently operating in the South China Sea.

The five-day visit, coming soon after Hong Kong marked the 28th anniversary of its return from British to Chinese rule, is one of the biggest shows of Chinese military force in Hong Kong in recent years.