Japan Protests Chinese Ships Entry Into Waters Surrounding Disputed Islands

Japan on Friday submitted a protest to Beijing after 4 armed ships belonging to the Chinese Coast Guard entered waters that Tokyo considers its own. The Japanese government stated that this is the first time that 4 Chinese ships carrying what appear to be cannons have entered Japanese territorial waters in the East China Sea surrounding the disputed islands, which Tokyo calls Senakoku while Beijing calls them Diaoyu. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said in a press conference, "I am not in a position to determine the intentions of the Chinese side, but the intrusion of Chinese Coast Guard ships into our territorial waters represents a violation of international law." Confrontations have been repeated between the two countries over the uninhabited islands under Japanese control. Source: Qatar News Agency