Patterns have been detected in the movements of China Coast Guard vessels sailing off the Senkaku Islands. The ships have been entering Japan's territorial waters off the Senkakus as if carrying out "regular patrols" at specific times of the day and chasing after Japanese fishing boats if they are in the area, a data analysis by The Yomiuri Shimbun and others has revealed.
About three years ago, the length of stay per CCG fleet extended from half a month to one month. The data showed China's intention to gain effective control of the Senkakus of Ishigaki, Okinawa Prefecture.
The 11th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters in Naha has made public the movements of CCG vessels navigating Japan's territorial waters and contiguous zones, which are a 22-kilometer-wide band of sea beyond the territorial waters.
