As more Chinese vessels enter Senkaku Islands, Japan reports 15th intrusions this year

Amid the rising tension between Tokyo and Beijing, two Chinese coast guard vessels on Tuesday entered Japanese territorial waters close to the Senkaku Islands, one day after a Chinese naval ship was detected there. According to a Kyodo News report, the Japan Coast Guard revealed that the infiltration which is considered to be the 15th this year and the first since June 23, occurred at roughly around 4:35 a.m. (local time) after the Chinese ships monitored a Japanese fishing boat. 

Further, the patrol ships of Japan gave the two Chinese vessels the order to leave the area of the East China Sea's uninhabited islets immediately that are administered by Japan but also claimed by China. 

Yoshimasa Hayashi, Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, that his country has made a "serious protest" to China using diplomatic channels. He described the infiltration as a breach of international law and promised that Japan will respond to China's actions "calmly and resolutely." 

China's "military activities are becoming more and more active", according to Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, and Japan would "resolutely and calmly" respond with any unilateral move to disrupt the status quo, Kyodo News reported. 

Meanwhile, on the other hand, Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told the media in Beijing that the coast guard boats of the nation were enforcing the law against the fishing boat run by "right-wing" Japanese activists. Zhao added that the islands are the country's "inherent territory" and that the activist boats had "repeatedly" infringed Chinese sovereignty. 

It is pertinent to mention that the Senkaku Islands, which are also known as Diaoyu in China, continue to be a contentious matter in bilateral ties. Beijing, which has aggressively pushed territorial claims in the South China Sea, continues to deploy ships to the seas surrounding the Japan-controlled islands despite repeated complaints from Tokyo. 

Other recent Chinese intrusions near Senkakus

Apart from this, according to information released by Japan's authorities on June 24, Friday, two Chinese coast guard vessels spent over 64 hours in the week travelling through Japanese territorial seas near the disputed Senkaku islands. Chinese vessels entered Japanese waters early on June 21, Tuesday and remained there until late on June 23, Thursday, according to the Japanese coast guard. The ships also surveilled a Japanese fishing vessel during what Tokyo claimed to be the longest Chinese intrusion in a decade, as per media reports. 

According to a CNN report, at one point the Chinese ships passed beyond the internationally recognised 12-mile barrier that delineates a nation's territorial seas and came as near as 1.9 miles to the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands. As per a statement, the Japanese coast guard sent one of its own patrol ships to the region and ordered the Chinese ships to immediately leave Japan's territorial seas. 

In addition to this, two Chinese ships had again sailed into Japanese waters on May 9, not far from the Senkakus. Sputnik reported that at approximately 7 a.m. (local time), Chinese ships arrived near Senkaku island. When the Chinese ships entered Japanese territorial waters, they were around 21 kilometres south-southeast of the island. A nearby Japanese fishing boat was approached by the Chinese ships. For the security of the Japanese fishing boat, the Japanese authorities sent patrol ships to the region right away. 

(Image: AP)