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Japan Sights Chinese, Russian Ships near Senkaku Islands


Mon 04 Jul 2022 | 07:10 PM
Israa Farhan

Japan's Defense Ministry said the Japanese Maritime Security monitored Chinese and Russian ships near the Senkaku Islands, without any penetration into the country's territorial waters.

A Chinese frigate entered the vicinity near Usturi Island on July 4 at 7:44 a,m., then left the vicinity at 7:50 a.m., heading to the southwest, according to the statement.

The statement added that the Japanese Maritime Security Agency had monitored the incident, and expressed its concern and protest through diplomatic channels, according to Seiji Kihara, the deputy secretary-general of the Japanese government.

Moreover, as reported by the defense ministry, a frigate entered the same area, one of three Russian warships, which passes on July 1 in the area of Japan's Okinawa Prefecture between Yonaguni and Iriomote islands, according to the ministry.

The Japanese military believes that a Chinese ship entered the area to monitor the Russian ship, as it is indicated that the simultaneous entry of both Chinese and Russian ships into this area was observed for the first time since 2016.

The Russian Ministry of Defense has repeatedly pointed out that flights of aircraft and long cruises of ships are carried out in accordance with international rules for the use of air and water space, without violating the borders of other countries.

The Senenkaku Islands (Diaoyu in Chinese) are subject to a territorial dispute between China and Japan, as Japan says it has controlled the islands since 1895, and Beijing states that Japanese maps of 1783 and 1785 designated Diaoyu as Chinese territory.

The Senkakus were under US control and were ceded to Japan in 1972, while Taiwan and mainland China believe Japan is holding them illegally. Tokyo believes that China and Taiwan have claimed the islands since the 1970s when it became clear that their waters were rich in minerals.

Further aggravation of the territorial dispute occurred after the Japanese government purchased three of the five islands of the Senkaku archipelago from a private Japanese owner in 2012, confirming the state's capture of them.