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| Japan Summons China’s Envoy in Latest Escalation of Tension Over Disputed Islands | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| TOKYO — The Japanese Foreign Ministry summoned China’s ambassador on Tuesday after Chinese ships entered Japanese-controlled waters for 13 hours, a prolonged incursion that seemed to escalate a standoff over a group of disputed islands. | TOKYO — The Japanese Foreign Ministry summoned China’s ambassador on Tuesday after Chinese ships entered Japanese-controlled waters for 13 hours, a prolonged incursion that seemed to escalate a standoff over a group of disputed islands. |
| The ministry said the deputy foreign minister, Akitaka Saiki, strongly protested the incursion on Monday by four Chinese surveillance ships near the islands, known as the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China. The uninhabited island chain, near Okinawa, has been controlled by Japan for decades but is also claimed by China and Taiwan. | The ministry said the deputy foreign minister, Akitaka Saiki, strongly protested the incursion on Monday by four Chinese surveillance ships near the islands, known as the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China. The uninhabited island chain, near Okinawa, has been controlled by Japan for decades but is also claimed by China and Taiwan. |
| The Chinese ambassador, Cheng Yonghua, responded by saying the islands belong to China and that Japanese ships had no right to be there, the ministry said. | The Chinese ambassador, Cheng Yonghua, responded by saying the islands belong to China and that Japanese ships had no right to be there, the ministry said. |
| The flare-up of tensions over the sovereignty of the islands in the East China Sea has soured ties between Asia’s two largest economies, leading to anti-Japanese riots and boycotts of Japanese goods in China. Monday’s incursion was one of the longest yet by Chinese vessels since the tensions began several months ago, when the Japanese government began efforts to buy three of the five islands from a private Japanese citizen. | The flare-up of tensions over the sovereignty of the islands in the East China Sea has soured ties between Asia’s two largest economies, leading to anti-Japanese riots and boycotts of Japanese goods in China. Monday’s incursion was one of the longest yet by Chinese vessels since the tensions began several months ago, when the Japanese government began efforts to buy three of the five islands from a private Japanese citizen. |
| China responded by the eventual purchase in September by beginning regular entries by ships to the waters near the islands, ignoring Japanese demands to stop. The Chinese further increased the pressure last month by dispatching a surveillance plane into what Japan considers its airspace near the islands. | China responded by the eventual purchase in September by beginning regular entries by ships to the waters near the islands, ignoring Japanese demands to stop. The Chinese further increased the pressure last month by dispatching a surveillance plane into what Japan considers its airspace near the islands. |
| The last such incursion by Chinese ships took place Dec. 31, Japanese news reports said; most last only a few hours. | The last such incursion by Chinese ships took place Dec. 31, Japanese news reports said; most last only a few hours. |
| Japan’s top government spokesman, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, called the Chinese ships’ long stay in the waters Monday “an extremely unusual incident and very regrettable.” | Japan’s top government spokesman, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, called the Chinese ships’ long stay in the waters Monday “an extremely unusual incident and very regrettable.” |
| The frequent incursions are seen by Japanese and American diplomacy experts as a new strategy by China to pressure Japan into officially acknowledging that a territorial dispute exists, something Tokyo has so far refused to do. They also said that by maintaining an almost constant presence, the Chinese may also be hoping to undermine Japan’s claims of wielding sole control over the islands. | The frequent incursions are seen by Japanese and American diplomacy experts as a new strategy by China to pressure Japan into officially acknowledging that a territorial dispute exists, something Tokyo has so far refused to do. They also said that by maintaining an almost constant presence, the Chinese may also be hoping to undermine Japan’s claims of wielding sole control over the islands. |
| The frequent Chinese incursions have come to resemble a high seas game of cat and mouse, with vessels from both sides following each other, and using radio or speakers to demand that the other side withdraw. To prevent a dangerous escalation, both sides have so far mainly used nonmilitary ships, like coast guard or fishing surveillance vessels. | The frequent Chinese incursions have come to resemble a high seas game of cat and mouse, with vessels from both sides following each other, and using radio or speakers to demand that the other side withdraw. To prevent a dangerous escalation, both sides have so far mainly used nonmilitary ships, like coast guard or fishing surveillance vessels. |
| Since the Chinese patrol plane flew over the islands Dec. 13, Chinese aircraft have occasionally probed the edge of Japanese-controlled airspace. That included a flight Saturday, when a propeller plane belonging to China’s State Oceanic Administration, which is similar to the coast guard, flew to within 60 miles of the islands. | Since the Chinese patrol plane flew over the islands Dec. 13, Chinese aircraft have occasionally probed the edge of Japanese-controlled airspace. That included a flight Saturday, when a propeller plane belonging to China’s State Oceanic Administration, which is similar to the coast guard, flew to within 60 miles of the islands. |
| On Tuesday, the Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, ordered his defense minister to step up surveillance around the islands, particularly against Chinese aircraft. | On Tuesday, the Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, ordered his defense minister to step up surveillance around the islands, particularly against Chinese aircraft. |
| The purchase of some of the islands in September stirred outrage in China, where many see the islands as the last pieces of Chinese territory that remains in Japan’s hands from its foray into empire-building in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Japan says China started showing interest in the islands only in recent decades after scientists found evidence of nearby undersea oil and natural gas deposits. | The purchase of some of the islands in September stirred outrage in China, where many see the islands as the last pieces of Chinese territory that remains in Japan’s hands from its foray into empire-building in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Japan says China started showing interest in the islands only in recent decades after scientists found evidence of nearby undersea oil and natural gas deposits. |
| Japan said the purchase was meant to alleviate strains, by keeping the islands out of the hands of a firebrand, right-wing politician who was threatening to buy them. China saw the move as a provocation that was meant to strengthen Japan’s claims to the islands. | Japan said the purchase was meant to alleviate strains, by keeping the islands out of the hands of a firebrand, right-wing politician who was threatening to buy them. China saw the move as a provocation that was meant to strengthen Japan’s claims to the islands. |