Japanese coast guard confronts Chinese in disputed seas

TOKYO

 A Japanese patrol ship has asked two Chinese coast guard vessels to leave disputed waters in the East China Sea – only to be met with the same demands.

Local news agency Kyodo cited the Japanese Coast Guard as saying two Chinese ships had “intruded” Wednesday morning in what Japan considers its territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands, known as the Diaoyu islands by China.

China and Japan have conflicting claims to the uninhabited islands, which are controlled by Tokyo despite China and Taiwan each claiming the territory as its own.

Wednesday’s incident was the 21st this year of Chinese vessels entering the disputed area, with the last reported crossing taking place last Friday.

The 11th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters in Naha, southern Okinawa prefecture, told Kyodo that a coast guard patrol ship had asked the two Chinese ships to leave the waters. One of the ships reportedly replied in both Chinese and Japanese that it was the Japanese vessel that must vacate the area, alleging it belonged to China.

The Senkaku island chain is one of several regional territorial disputes between China and its neighbors in the South and East China seas.

High-level dialogue between China and Japan had been suspended for two years prior to a meeting last November between their leaders due to tension following the Japanese government’s purchase of three of the disputed islands in September 2012.