Chinese ships stir tensions near disputed Senkaku Islands
Two Chinese coast guard vessels entered Japanese territorial waters near the disputed Senkaku Islands, inciting tensions ahead of a meeting of diplomats from Japan, South Korea, and China.
Two Chinese Coast Guard ships violated Japanese territorial waters near the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea on Friday. This information was conveyed by the Japan Coast Guard. The incident occurred a day before a planned meeting of the foreign ministers of Japan, South Korea, and China in Tokyo.
According to the 11th Regional Headquarters of the Japan Coast Guard based in Naha, the Chinese vessels entered territorial waters near Minami-Kojima Island, part of the Senkaku archipelago, just before 2 AM local time on Friday. Both ships were armed with guns, as highlighted by the Japanese broadcaster NHK.
The Japan Coast Guard called on the Chinese vessels to leave the area immediately and continues to monitor them. As the Japan News reminds us, a similar incident took place on March 14.
Diplomats' meeting in Tokyo
On Saturday, a meeting of the foreign ministers of Japan, China, and South Korea will take place in Tokyo. Takeshi Iwaya, Wang Yi, and Cho Tae-yong are expected to discuss trilateral economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and regional and international issues. The last such meeting took place in November 2023 in Busan.
Beijing and Tokyo have been disputing the uninhabited Senkaku Islands, located in the East China Sea, for years. Taiwan also lays claim to them. The islands remain under Japan's control, which considers them an integral part of its territory. Japan regularly reports the presence of Chinese vessels in the region. In 2024, Chinese vessels were present for a record 353 days, with 39 instances of intrusion into Japanese territorial waters reported.
