China Coast Guard ships have been present in waters around Japanese-controlled islands in the East China Sea for a record 158 consecutive days, surpassing the previous record set in 2021. The uninhabited islands, known as the Senkakus in Japan and the Diaoyus in China, have the potential to become a flashpoint for conflict between the two Asian neighbors.
The Japanese government expressed serious concerns about the continuous presence of Chinese vessels in the contiguous zone and territorial waters. While foreign ships are allowed innocent passage through territorial waters, the prolonged presence of Chinese ships is viewed as a provocation.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida raised Tokyo's concerns with Chinese Premier Li Qiang during a trilateral summit with South Korea in Seoul. The competing claims over the Senkaku Islands have been a longstanding issue in Japan-China relations, with both countries asserting sovereignty over the territory.
China's foreign ministry stated that the Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands are China's inherent territory, justifying the presence of Chinese Coast Guard patrols in the waters around the islands. Experts suggest that China aims to establish a legal claim to the islands by maintaining a continuous presence of government ships.
Japan has responded to the Chinese presence by deploying its own Coast Guard patrol vessels to ensure comprehensive security in territorial waters. Any incident between Japan and China in the Senkakus raises the risk of a wider conflict, given Japan's mutual defense treaty with the United States, which considers the islands to be covered by the pact.
