Japan Protests Chinese Ship in Its Waters
Beijing and Tokyo spar over Diaoyu Islands, resource-rich area
Japan lodged a formal protest with China on Thursday after a Chinese government survey ship entered Japanese territorial waters near disputed islands in the East China Sea, the Japanese government said. The move comes amid heightened tensions between the two countries over the uninhabited islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China.
Background of the Dispute
The islands are located in a resource-rich area of the East China Sea and are claimed by both Japan and China. Japan has controlled the islands since 1895, but China says it has historical sovereignty over them. The dispute has been a source of tension between the two countries for decades.
In recent years, the dispute has intensified as China has become more assertive in its territorial claims in the region. China has been sending ships and aircraft into the area around the islands, and has built artificial islands in the South China Sea.
Japan's Protest
The Japanese government said the Chinese survey ship entered Japan's territorial waters on Thursday morning. The ship was conducting a survey of the seabed in waters around the islands. Japan claims the ship was in violation of Japanese law, which prohibits foreign ships from conducting surveys in its territorial waters without permission.
The Japanese government lodged a formal protest with China through diplomatic channels. Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the Chinese ship's entry into Japanese waters was "a clear violation of Japan's sovereignty." He said Japan would "continue to take all necessary measures to protect its territory and waters."
China's Response
China has not yet responded to Japan's protest. However, China has previously said that it has sovereignty over the islands and that it has the right to conduct surveys in the area.
The dispute over the islands is likely to continue to be a source of tension between Japan and China. The two countries have different interpretations of the history of the islands, and they have different views on the law of the sea.
Conclusion
The entry of the Chinese survey ship into Japanese territorial waters is the latest in a series of incidents that have raised tensions between Japan and China. The dispute over the islands is likely to continue to be a source of tension between the two countries.
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