Japan protests against China over pipeline

TOKYO, Aug. 10 (UPI) -- Japan has lodged a new complaint against China for drilling gas near a disputed part of the East China Sea.

"We have protested to the Chinese government through diplomatic channels but we have not received any satisfactory reply," said Shoichi Nakagawa, Japanese Trade Minister, the BBC reported.

China and Japan have long disputed the division of the rich gas areas under the East China Sea, even after the United Nations convention granted each country an exclusive economic zone. Each exclusive economic zone extends 200 nautical miles from individual shores.

However, the Japanese government suspects that China is preparing to tap gas under a seabed on Japan's side of the zone.

"We found that possibilities are high that the Chinese side has placed a pipeline, and is ready to put it to practical use at any time," said Nakagawa.