Feb. 15 (UPI) -- Chinese coast guard vessels trespassed into Japan-claimed waters near the disputed Senkaku or Diaoyutai Islands, drawing protest from Tokyo.
The two ships of the Chinese coast guard made their way into an area near Minami-kojima, part of the Senkaku chain, about 1:30 p.m. Monday, NHK reported.
Report of the ships comes two weeks after China approved the use of weapons against "foreign ships that infringe on China's sovereignty and jurisdiction at sea."
China and Japan both claim the islands and have clashed over territorial claims in the East China Sea. The dispute intensified after the Japanese government purchased the islands from a private owner in 2012.
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According to Japanese press reports, the Chinese ships were present in the contiguous zone adjacent to Japanese waters. The Chinese vessels then approached Japanese fishing boats. Japan's coast guard, in response, warned the Chinese ships to leave Japanese waters.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said Monday that Tokyo expresses "deep regret" for the incident. Kato charged the Chinese side of violating international law.
Japan has protested Chinese incursions in the past several weeks, according to Stars and Stripes and the Japan Times. Chinese boats are appearing more frequently after China's new law went into effect, according to reports.
Tokyo could more preoccupied with matters at home, however. The Summer Olympics are expected to take place this year, but tensions are rising between Japanese politicians of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike has been at odds with Prime Yoshihide Suga over the government response to COVID-19 and over Suga's handling of Yoshiro Mori, the former Tokyo Olympics chief.
Koike skipped the Olympics meeting with the International Olympic Committee last week. Suga did not call for Mori's resignation, even after Mori had made the sexist comments that culminated in his departure.
