ANKARA

Japan’s Defense Ministry claimed on Saturday that a Chinese Navy survey ship entered its territorial waters off its southwestern islands.

Japan has lodged a protest and conveyed its strong concern over the latest incident through diplomatic channels, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported, citing a ministry statement.

This development follows a recent accusation by Tokyo that a Chinese military spy plane violated Japanese airspace for the first time on Monday. The plane reportedly entered Japanese airspace over waters in the East China Sea, near islands in the southwestern province of Nagasaki.

Beijing has stated that it is investigating the alleged violation of Japan’s airspace.

Japan had previously reported two similar incidents involving a Chinese marine surveillance plane and a drone over waters near the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, which China claims and refers to as the Diaoyu Islands, in 2012 and 2017, respectively.

The latest breach marks the 10th entry of a Chinese survey ship into Japanese waters off Kagoshima province since November 2021, according to reports.

"The vessel was spotted entering the territorial waters west of Kuchinoerabu Island at around 6 a.m. and left the waters southwest of Yakushima Island at around 7:53 a.m.," the ministry said.

In recent years, Japan has repeatedly reported incursions by Chinese ships into its territorial waters in the East China Sea, particularly around the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands, which China also claims.

The two countries have long been at odds over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid