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Chinese coast guard vessels sail near Senkaku Islands

By Elizabeth Shim
Four boats belonging to the Chinese coast guard entered Japanese territorial waters, off the coast of Uotsuri-Shima, one of the disputed Senkaku islands in the East China Sea, at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to Kyodo news agency. File photo courtesy of Hiroya Shimoji/EPA
Four boats belonging to the Chinese coast guard entered Japanese territorial waters, off the coast of Uotsuri-Shima, one of the disputed Senkaku islands in the East China Sea, at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to Kyodo news agency. File photo courtesy of Hiroya Shimoji/EPA

March 28 (UPI) -- Chinese coast guard vessels sailed through Japan-claimed waters around the disputed Senkaku Islands on Tuesday, Kyodo news agency reported.

According to the report, four boats belonging to the Chinese coast guard entered Japanese territorial waters, off the coast of Uotsuri-Shima, at 2:30 p.m.

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Uotsuri-Shima is the largest of the Senkaku Islands, also known as the Diaoyu Islands in China.

The boats remained in Japan-claimed waters for about an hour and 30 minutes.

The Chinese vessels then headed outside Tokyo's territorial waters, about 13 to 27 miles from the area, according to the report.

Japan's coast guard broadcast a message, warning the Chinese boats to not re-enter territorial waters.

Chinese coast guard vessels also entered Japanese territorial waters on Wednesday.

The Japanese foreign ministry has filed a complaint with the Chinese embassy in Tokyo, and the Japanese embassy in Beijing has expressed concerns to the Chinese government, according to Kyodo.

The United States has said it would defend uninhabited islands from foreign attacks.

In February, U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis told officials in Tokyo the Trump administration would stand by Japan in the territorial dispute.

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In 2016 more than 100 Chinese ships trespassed into Japan's territorial waters, the second-largest annual number of Chinese ships entering disputed areas since Japan announced the nationalization of the Senkakus in September 2012.

China, Japan and Taiwan all claim the islands.

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