Chinese coast guard vessels encountered Japanese politicians in the contested waters of the East China Sea, escalating tensions in the region, according to reports from China’s embassy in Tokyo and Japanese media on Sunday. This incident is part of ongoing maritime disputes between China and its neighboring countries.
The confrontation involved unspecified law enforcement actions by the Chinese vessels, which the Chinese embassy described as a response to “infringement and provocation” by Japan near the islands known as Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan. These islands are uninhabited and have been a frequent flashpoint between the two nations.
The Japanese delegation, led by former Defense Minister Tomomi Inada and organized by Ishigaki City in Okinawa Prefecture, was conducting an inspection mission. They spent three hours near the islands on Saturday, employing drones for surveillance. During this time, the Japanese coast guard attempted to prevent interactions with the Chinese vessels, as reported by NHK, Japan’s public broadcaster.
Inada highlighted the critical security challenges facing Japan, asserting that the Senkaku Islands are sovereign Japanese territory and stressing the necessity of conducting on-site research.
This visit marks the first inspection of its kind by a Japanese parliament member since 2013, shedding light on the ongoing territorial disputes between Japan and China, which also extend to confrontations with the Philippine navy in the South China Sea.
The Chinese embassy has urged Japan to adhere to a previously agreed consensus between the two nations, to halt political provocations and to manage their differences through dialogue and consultation to prevent further escalation of tensions.
