Japan has accused China of sending ships into its territorial waters around a disputed chain of islands in the East China Sea.
Japan Coast Guard officials said three Chinese Coast Guard ships entered the country’s territorial waters, near the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, local Kyodo news agency reported.
Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Yoshihiko Isozaki said the invasion of territorial waters is a “violation of international law”, calling it “extremely unfortunate and completely unacceptable.”
Isozaki told reporters that Tokyo protested to Beijing in connection with the violation of international law.
Tokyo says it has detected 27 Chinese ship incursions into its territorial waters this year.
There were no immediate comments from the Chinese authorities on the Japanese allegations.
Japan’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday that seven Chinese and Russian navies were in the Pacific Ocean near the Izu Islands south of Tokyo, believed to be part of joint patrols, the agency said.
Beijing and Tokyo dispute the uninhabited Senkaku Islands, which despite being under Japanese control, China claims sovereignty over them and calls them “Diaoyu”.
Source: agencies