4 Chinese Ships Sail in Japanese Waters off Senkakus

Naha, Okinawa Pref., May 8 (Jiji Press)--Four Chinese coast guard ships sailed in Japanese territorial waters off the Senkaku Islands in Ishigaki, Okinawa Prefecture, southernmost Japan, on Thursday.

It was the first intrusion by Chinese official ships into Japanese waters off the Senkaku island chain in the East China Sea since April 28.

According to the Japan Coast Guard's 11th regional headquarters based in Naha, the capital of Okinawa, the four vessels entered Japanese waters near Uotsuri Island, part of the Senkaku chain, between 4:15 p.m. and 4:35 p.m., and left the area at around 6 p.m.

The Japanese-administered islands are claimed by China, where they are called Diaoyu.

END

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]