4 Chinese Govt Ships Sail in Japanese Waters near Senkakus

May 24, 2018

Naha, Okinawa Pref.- Four Chinese coast guard ships sailed in Japanese territorial waters off the Senkaku Islands in the southernmost prefecture of Okinawa on Thursday.

It was the first such intrusion by Chinese government ships since last Friday and the 10th this year.

According to the Japan Coast Guard's 11th regional headquarters based in the Okinawa capital of Naha, the Haijing 2101, the Haijing 2307, the Haijing 2401 and the Haijing 33115 entered the Japanese waters at a point west-southwest of Uotsurijima, the largest of the Japanese-administered islands in the East China Sea, between around 10 a.m. (1 a.m. GMT) and 10:15 a.m.

The four ships left the waters at a point south of Minamikojima, another island in the Senkaku chain, between around 11:45 a.m. and noon.

The islands are claimed by China, which calls them Diaoyu. Jiji Press