Japan, China coast guards face off near disputed islands

Vessels from Japan's and China's coast guards engaged in a standoff near disputed islands on Tuesday, with each side accusing the other of violating territorial waters. The confrontation took place in the vicinity of the uninhabited islands, known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China, which lie between Taiwan and Okinawa and have been a focal point of diplomatic friction for decades.

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issued orders to leave ... successfully forcing the Chinese coast guard vessels to leave Japanese territorial waters by approximately 9.20am (8.20am Singapore time)

Japan's coast guard reported that its vessels expelled two Chinese ships that were approaching a Japanese fishing boat operating in the area. Conversely, China's coast guard issued its own statement, asserting that it had driven away a Japanese fishing boat that had "intruded into" the waters surrounding the islands.

Relations between the two East Asian neighbors have been strained, particularly since November when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made comments regarding Taiwan that angered Beijing. While Chinese ships have previously entered waters claimed by Japan, it is uncommon for them to approach Japanese fishing vessels so closely.

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was deployed around the Japanese fishing vessel to ensure its safety

The Japanese coast guard stated it issued departure orders, successfully compelling the Chinese vessels to leave Japanese territorial waters by approximately 9:20 a.m. local time. They also confirmed that patrols were deployed around the Japanese fishing vessel to ensure its safety. China's coast guard, however, maintained that the Japanese fishing boat "Zuihou Maru" intruded into their territorial waters and that necessary measures were taken to warn and expel it.

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the Japanese fishing boat Zuihou Maru intruded into the territorial waters

This incident is part of a pattern where both China and Japan accuse each other of deploying ships around the islands, occasionally leading to dangerous standoffs. Japan's coast guard described the presence of four Chinese ships in the area before two entered Japanese waters as a "violation of international law." They vowed to continue responding calmly and resolutely in accordance with international and domestic law to secure their territorial waters. China has also been active in other disputed areas of the East China Sea, believed to hold energy reserves, despite Japan's repeated protests.

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CCG vessels took necessary measures to warn and expel it