Japanese Patrol Spots Chinese Coast Guard Ship Entering Waters Near Senkaku Islands: Driven Out Immediately, Already 15 Times In 2022

Japanese Coast Guard ship in the waters of the Senkaku Islands. (Wikimedia Commons/Al Jazeera English)

JAKARTA - Two Chinese coast guard vessels entered Japanese territorial waters near the Senkaku on Tuesday, a day after a Chinese naval vessel was spotted near Chinese-claimed islands, as tensions rise between Tokyo and Beijing, despite approaching the 50th anniversary of normalizing relations. diplomatic.

Japan's Coast Guard said the intrusion, the 15th this year and the first since June 23, occurred at around 4:35 a.m., after Chinese vessels tracked down a Japanese fishing vessel.

The patrol boat ordered the two Chinese vessels to immediately get out of the waters near the uninhabited island chain, which is administered by Japan but claimed by China, in the East China Sea.

Regarding this matter, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said he had made serious protests to China through diplomatic channels. Calling the infiltration a violation of international law, he told a regular press conference, Japan would handle China's actions "calmly and decisively."

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi separately said, "China's military activities are becoming increasingly active with Japan going against any unilateral attempts to change the status quo firmly and calmly."

It is known that the Senkaku Islands, which China calls the Diaoyu, remain a thorny issue in bilateral relations. Despite repeated protests from Tokyo, Beijing, which also aggressively asserts territorial claims in the South China Sea, continues to send ships into the waters around the Japanese-controlled islands.

Chinese ships have now been sighted near the islands, including in the so-called confinement zone outside Japanese waters, for 81 days in a row, according to the coast guard.

Earlier, a Chinese frigate sailed in the adjacent zone for about six minutes from 7:44 a.m., about 40 minutes after a Russian warship was in the area on Monday, according to Japanese Defense Ministry officials.

This is the first time since June 2018 that a Chinese military ship has entered the zone near the Senkaku. Prior to this, a Chinese warship sailed in the zone three times, the first in June 2016 when it did so with a Russian military vessel.

Originally, Japan and China were to mark the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations in September, but there is little atmosphere for celebration on either side.

Japan protested against China expressing "grave concern" after Monday's incident, according to the Foreign Ministry. Hayashi said the following day, Japan protested again after a Chinese coast guard vessel entered its territorial waters.

Separately, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on Monday hit back at the initial protests, saying the islands had become part of Chinese territory.

"The activities of Chinese ships in adjacent waters are legal and legal. The Japanese side has no right to accuse this activity," he explained at a press conference.

Apart from China, Japan also told Russia through diplomatic channels it was closely watching the latest developments around the Senkaku, as Moscow and Beijing have increased their naval presence around the Japanese archipelago.

But Japan refrained from protesting against Russia, given that they do not claim the islands. And, as the Russian frigate appeared to have entered the adjacent zone to avoid the typhoon, the Foreign Ministry source added.