4 Chinese Govt Ships Sail in Japanese Waters

Naha, Okinawa Pref., Nov. 25 (Jiji Press)--Four Chinese coast guard ships sailed in Japanese waters around the Senkaku Islands in the southernmost prefecture of Okinawa on Friday.

Of the four, one is believed to be equipped with a 76mm gun, the largest of its kind mounted on such intruding Chinese vessels.

As one or more of the four vessels attempted to approach a 9.1-ton Japanese fishing boat with three crew members, the Japan Coast Guard secured the safety of the boat and warned the Chinese to leave the waters.

The latest event was the 26th intrusion into the Japanese waters by any Chinese government ship this year and the first since Nov. 12-13.

According to the JCG's 11th regional headquarters in Naha, the capital of Okinawa, two Haijing ships entered Japanese waters southeast of Minamikojima and elsewhere around 2:35 a.m. (5:35 p.m. Thursday GMT).

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]