(Photo from AFP PHOTO / JAPAN COAST GUARD)
Japanese and Chinese coast guard vessels confronted each other near disputed islands in the East China Sea, with both sides claiming to have successfully driven the other's ships away.
On Tuesday, 7 July 2026, coast guard ships from Japan and China confronted each other near disputed islands in the East China Sea, each claiming to have expelled the other's vessels for intruding into their territorial waters.
The incident occurred near uninhabited islands called the Senkaku Islands by Japan and the Diaoyu Islands by China. These islands lie between Taiwan and Okinawa and have been a long-standing source of diplomatic tension between the two countries for decades.
Japan's coast guard stated it repelled two Chinese vessels after they attempted to approach a Japanese fishing boat operating in the waters. Meanwhile, China's coast guard said it expelled a Japanese fishing vessel that "intruded" into waters surrounding the islands.
Relations between Japan and China have deteriorated since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi angered Beijing in November by making remarks about Taiwan.
The most recent Chinese incursion into waters Japan claims ownership of was on 10 June, but Chinese vessels approaching Japanese fishing boats is a relatively rare event.
Japan's coast guard said authorities ordered the Chinese coast guard ships to leave the area and succeeded in pressuring them to exit Japanese waters around 09:20. They also deployed forces around the Japanese fishing vessel to ensure its safety.
China's coast guard (CCG) stated that the Japanese fishing boat named Zuiho Maru intruded into their waters, prompting the CCG to take necessary measures to warn and expel the vessel.
In recent years, both China and Japan have repeatedly accused each other of deploying ships around these disputed islands, sometimes leading to tense confrontations.
Additionally, China has sent ships into other disputed waters in the East China Sea, believed to be rich in energy reserves, despite repeated Japanese protests against such actions.
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Source:cna