Chinese ship with largest-ever cannon enters Japan waters near Diaoyu islands

Four coastguard ships, including the vessel bearing a 76-mm gun, were detected in waters off the Tokyo-controlled uninhabited islets claimed by Beijing
The intrusion came days after the leaders of the two countries held their first summit since 2019

Japan

Kyodo

Published: 10:23am, 26 Nov 2022

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A Chinese coastguard vessel equipped with the largest cannon ever seen on such a ship entered Japan’s territorial waters surrounding a group of disputed islands known in Tokyo as the Senkakus but in Beijing as the Diaoyus in the East China Sea on Friday, the Japanese coastguard said.

Four Chinese coastguard ships, including the vessel, were detected in waters off the Japan-controlled uninhabited islets claimed by China, the coastguard said, days after the leaders of the two Asian powers held their first summit since 2019.

Two vessels entered Japan’s territorial waters on Friday at around 2.35am (local time) with the first ship followed by the second. At about 10am, two more arrived with one bearing a 76-mm gun, it added.

After Japanese patrol vessels ordered the Chinese ships to immediately leave the area, all four moved to the contiguous zone outside territorial waters later in the day, the coastguard said.

The intrusion into Japan’s maritime territory by official Chinese vessels is the 32nd this year and the first since November 13. Chinese ships have been spotted near the Diaoyu/Senkakus, including in the contiguous zone, for 23 days in a row.

Until earlier this month, a 37-mm gun was the largest cannon equipped on such a Chinese ship seen by the Japan coastguard. But on November 15, China sent a coastguard vessel with a 76-mm cannon to the contiguous zone outside Japan’s territorial waters off the Diaoyu/Senkakus, two days before the first in-person Japan-China summit in almost three years took place in Thailand.

Later Friday, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno criticised Beijing, saying at a news conference that such maritime activities by the Chinese coastguard violate international law.

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Matsuno, the top government spokesman, added Japan has lodged a protest with China via diplomatic channels over the latest move.

During his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Bangkok, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida conveyed Japan’s “serious concern” about Chinese attempts to undermine Tokyo’s control over the Diaoyu/Senkakus, according to the Japanese foreign ministry.

The Diaoyu/Senkakus have long been a source of tension between the two East Asian countries. Japan maintains its stance that the islets are an inherent part of its territory.