Japan protests China’s repeated incursions into the waters near the Senkaku Islands

Japan has strongly protested the repeated intrusion of Chinese ships into the waters near the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.

Senior diplomats from Japan and China held a video conference on maritime security Wednesday (Jan. 20), where The Japanese side strongly protested the repeated incursions of Chinese vessels into the waters near the Japan-controlled Senkaku Islands (known as Diaoyu Islands in China) in the East China Sea, urging China to take action to address Japan’s concerns about the activities of Chinese vessels in the waters near the Senkaku Islands, the Japanese foreign ministry said.

The meeting was co-chaired by Takehiro Funakoshi, Director General of the Asian Ocean Affairs Bureau of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Hong Liang, Director General of the Department of Border and Maritime Affairs of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Japanese side also expressed concern over the recent actions of Chinese vessels that appear to be approaching and chasing Japanese fishing boats in the waters near the Senkaku Islands.

The two officials also confirmed the importance of maintaining contact on the situation in the East China Sea. The two sides also exchanged views on the early establishment of a hotline between defense officials of the two countries to avoid accidental clashes at sea and in the air.