Four Chinese government vessels were spotted sailing in the contiguous zone just outside Japanese territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture, the 11th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters based in Naha said Wednesday.
This is the 65th day in a row a Chinese government ship has been spotted in the area, surpassing the previous longest period of 64 days since the islands were nationalized in 2012, according to the Japan Coast Guard. The previous longest period was recorded between April and June of last year.
On Tuesday, when the number of consecutive days was tying with the previous record, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a press conference, "It is extremely regrettable, and we are repeatedly protesting the situation through warnings given by coast guard vessels and through diplomatic channels."
According to a senior government official, the government is becoming increasingly wary of the Chinese side's objectives and said, "Even while responding to the novel coronavirus, they continue to attempt to change the status quo and try to make it look like control is already effectively established."
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