TOKYO, January 11 (KUNA) -- Japan lodged a protest with China on Thursday after Chinese Navy ships entered a contiguous zone adjacent to what Tokyo considers its territorial waters in the East China Sea.
Vice Foreign Minister Shinsuke Sugiyama summoned Chinese Ambassador to Japan Cheng Yonghua over the entry, the ministry said in a statement. Sugiyama expressed serious concern and protested the incident, the ministry said, adding that the official strongly demanded the Chinese side not to hamper a shift toward improved Japan-China relations.
A Chinese naval frigate and a submerged submarine entered the zone near the Japan-administered Senkaku Islands in the morning and left the waters hours later, the Defense Ministry said. The ships did not violate the Japanese territorial waters. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe instructed government officials to coordinate with the US and other countries about the incident. The government also set up a liaison team at the crisis management center of the premier's office.
Chinese coast guard ships have often sailed into Japan's contiguous zone near the disputed islands, but it was the first time since June 2016 that a frigate has been seen. The small chain of uninhabited rocky islands, known as Diaoyu in China and Tiaoyutai in Taiwan, lie in rich fishing grounds and waters thought to contain large deposits of oil and natural gas. (end) mk.hb