ANKARA – Japan on Sunday stated {that a} Chinese navy survey vessel entered its territorial waters close to islands near the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima, the newest confirmed sighting of Chinese ships within the space since December final 12 months.
Citing the Defense Ministry, Kyodo News Agency reported that the survey ship crossed into Japanese waters from southwest of Yakushima Island within the prefecture at round 2:30 a.m. native time.
The newest intrusion, the ministry stated, marked the seventh entry by a Chinese survey vessel into waters off Kagoshima since November 2021.
Tokyo has conveyed its concern concerning the newest intrusion to Beijing via “diplomatic channels,” the ministry stated.
The vessel sailed out of the territorial waters close to Kuchinoshima Island, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) southwest of Yakushima, at round 4:10 a.m. native time.
Tokyo typically accuses Chinese vessels of repeatedly violating its territorial waters, notably close to the Senkaku Islands, a gaggle of East China Sea islets managed by Japan however claimed by China below the identify Diaoyu.
There was no rapid response from Beijing.
Survey vessels are sometimes used to conduct analysis, resembling figuring out underwater topography for submarine navigation. (Anadolu)