Tokyo, 28 September, /AJMEDIA/
Three Chinese coast guard vessels entered Japan’s territorial waters near the Senkaku Islands on Wednesday, a day before the 50th anniversary of the normalization of the countries’ diplomatic ties.
The Japan Coast Guard said the intrusion, the 27th this year and the first since Sept. 8, off the uninhabited islets claimed by China occurred around 3:15 a.m. after the ships tracked three Japanese fishing boats.
Japanese patrol vessels ordered the Chinese ships to immediately exit the waters near the Senkakus, a longtime source of tension between the countries, with neither side in the mood for a grand celebration on the key political anniversary.
The intrusion violated international law and Tokyo has lodged a stern protest with Beijing, a Japanese government spokesman told reporters.
Describing Beijing’s action as “extremely regrettable and totally unacceptable,” Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihiko Isozaki said at a press conference that Japan will continue to take a “cool and decisive” approach in dealing with China.
China has continued to send vessels to waters around the islets, which it calls Diaoyu, especially since Japan’s purchase of part of them from their private Japanese owner a decade ago.
Despite repeated protests from Japan, Chinese vessels have now been spotted near the islets in the East China Sea, including in the so-called contiguous zone outside Japanese waters, for 14 days in a row, according to the coast guard.
In addition to the three ships, it said three other Chinese vessels, two of which appeared to be equipped with autocannons, were seen sailing in the zone.
Meanwhile, Japan’s Defense Ministry said late Tuesday, a total of seven Chinese and Russian naval vessels were confirmed to be sailing near the Izu Islands, south of Tokyo, in the Pacific Ocean.
The passage from Monday to Tuesday is believed to be part of a joint patrol. The ministry said it was monitoring the situation as it believes China and Russia have increased coordinated operations.
