TOKYO: Four Chinese coast guard ships sailed into Japanese territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea on Saturday morning, according to Japan Coast Guard, local media reported.
After the Chinese ships tried to approach four Japanese fishing boats that were sailing in waters south of Uotsurijima, one of the Senkaku Islands, the Japan Coast Guard ensured the safety of the boats and warned the Chinese ships to leave Japanese waters, reported the Japan Times.
It was the 22nd intrusion into Japanese waters around the island chain by Chinese government ships this year.
The Okinawa Prefecture islands are claimed by China, which calls them the Diaoyu.
Earlier, on Sunday, two China Coast Guard ships entered Senkaku Islands said Japan Coast Guard.
According to the Japan Coast Guard’s 11th regional headquarters in Naha, four Haijing ships from the Chinese coast guard entered Japanese waters south of Minamikojima, also one of the Senkaku Islands, and other areas between roughly 2:30 a.m.
and 2:45 am (local time), reported the Japan Times.
It further reported that the Chinese ships left the waters by around 11:40 am (local time).
Japan controls the Senkaku Islands, however, China and Taiwan continue to claim them.
Tokyo maintains the islands are an inherent part of its territory as per history and international law.
China has been increasing its maritime activities in both the South China Sea and the East China Sea over the past few months, partly in response to Beijing’s concerns over the increasing US military presence in the region because of escalating Sino-US tensions.
Recently, tensions between China and Japan have escalated amid increased activity by Beijing in the disputed East China Sea.
This comes after Beijing implemented a new law that allows the country’s quasi-military force to use weapons against foreign ships that China sees as illegally entering its waters.