Japan coastguard says more China ships in disputed waters
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In this recent picture, a Japan Coast Guard vessel (top) sails along with a Chinese surveillance ship near disputed islands called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China in the East China Sea on Friday, Feb 15, 2013. In a new incident on Sunday, Feb 24, 2013, Japan says three Chinese surveillance ships entered the disputed waters, after one of Beijing's fisheries patrol boats sailed into the zone.-- PHOTO: AP
TOKYO (AFP) - Japan said three Chinese surveillance ships entered its territorial waters off disputed East China Sea islands on Sunday, hours after one of Beijing's fisheries patrol boats sailed into the zone.
The three marine surveillance ships entered the 12-nautical-mile territorial zone off Uotsuri, one of the Senkaku islands, shortly before 1.00 pm local time, the Japan Coast Guard said in a statement.
The incident came hours after Japan said a Chinese fisheries patrol boat briefly entered the territorial waters off another disputed island on Sunday morning.
Beijing claims the Japanese-controlled islands in the East China Sea, which it calls the Diaoyus.
