Tokyo: The ships from the coast guards of Japan and China engaged in a tense standoff near disputed islands on Tuesday, with both nations asserting they had successfully repelled the other’s ships from their respective territorial waters.

The incident occurred in the vicinity of uninhabited islands known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China. Located between Taiwan and Okinawa, these islands have been a flashpoint for diplomatic friction for decades.

The Japan Coast Guard reported that it took action to expel two Chinese vessels as they moved toward a Japanese fishing boat operating in the area.

“The Japan coast guard issued orders to leave... successfully forcing the Chinese coast guard vessels to leave Japanese territorial waters by approximately 9:20 am,” the agency said. It added that it had “deployed around the Japanese fishing vessel to ensure its safety.”

Separately, the China Coast Guard (CCG) maintained that it was the Japanese vessel that had violated its jurisdiction.

“The Japanese fishing boat Zuihou Maru intruded into the territorial waters,” the CCG said in a statement, adding that its “vessels took necessary measures to warn and expel it.”

Tensions between the two nations have been exacerbated by recent political rhetoric, particularly comments made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in November regarding Taiwan. Takaichi suggested that Tokyo could intervene militarily in the event of an attack on Taiwan, a self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its own territory. This position drew sharp condemnation from Beijing, leading to tightened trade restrictions and travel advisories against Japan.

While Chinese ships have entered waters claimed by Japan as recently as 10 June, direct approaches toward Japanese fishing vessels are considered rare.

The Japan Coast Guard noted that four Chinese vessels were detected in the surrounding area, with two entering what it described as Japanese waters, terming the movement “a violation of international law.” The agency affirmed that it would “continue to respond calmly and resolutely in accordance with international and domestic law, and will take every possible measure to ensure the security of our territorial waters.”

Both countries frequently accuse each other of aggressive patrolling near the islands, with the East China Sea also remaining a point of contention due to the potential for significant energy reserves in the region.

With inputs from AFP