Japan Protests Chinese Ships’ Intrusion near Senkakus

Tokyo, Nov. 17 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government said Monday that it has lodged a protest with China through diplomatic channels regarding a recent intrusion of four Chinese coast guard ships into Japanese territorial waters off the Senkaku Islands in the southernmost Japan prefecture of Okinawa. The intrusion “amounts to a violation of international law,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a press conference. “It is truly regrettable and unacceptable,” the top Japanese government spokesman said. “We will continue to make every effort to carry out vigilant surveillance with a sense of tension and respond calmly and firmly.” The four Chinese ships entered Japanese waters around Minamikojima, part of the island chain, on Sunday morning, and left the area by noon the same day. China claims the Japanese-administrated islands in the East China Sea and calls them Diaoyu. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]