Japan protests after two Chinese coast guard ships enter islands in East China Sea
Story highlights
Tensions have escalated between the two countries after Beijing enacted a legislation allowing its coast guard to use weapons against foreign ships that it views illegally entered its waters.
After two Chinese coast guard ships entered waters off the Senkaku islands over the weekend, Japan protested against China's intrusion in the uninhabited islets in the East China Sea.
Tensions have escalated between the two countries after Beijing enacted a legislation allowing its coast guard to use weapons against foreign ships that it views illegally entered its waters.
Japan and China are locked in a dispute over the islands in the East China Sea which Tokyo calls the Senkakus and Beijing the Diaoyu. The islets are administered by Japan, however, Beijing claims the islands as its own.
"We made a strong protest through diplomatic routes both in Tokyo and Beijing, strongly demanding that they immediately stop their moves to try to approach Japanese fishing vessels and that they swiftly leave the territorial waters," Japanese government spokesman Katsubonu Kato said, while adding that the country has "repeatedly demanded they leave, while ensuring safety of fishing vessels".
"Japan can never tolerate such moves, " the Japanese government spokesman said. The United States defense secretary Lloyd Austin had earlier said the country "remains opposed to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East China Sea" amid tensions with China.
The current Biden administration has continued the same line as the previous Trump's government which had said that Beijing's maritime claims in the South China Sea was "completely unlawful."