Chinese Coast Guard vessels intrude Japanese coastal territory near the Senkaku Islands.
The Senkaku Islands, a chain of islands in the East China Sea and not the southernmost prefecture of Japan, have once again become the focus of a territorial dispute between Japan and China. On August 2, 2025, two Chinese coast guard ships entered waters near the Senkaku Islands, which are still under Japanese administration, but claimed by China where they are known as Diaoyu.
This incident follows a previous encounter on July 3, 2025, when four Chinese coast guard ships briefly sailed into Japanese territorial waters near Uotsurijima, one of the Senkaku Islands. The latest incident took place off the Senkaku Islands, with the location of the incident being a common area of contention between the two countries.
The Japan Coast Guard, specifically the 11th regional headquarters based in Naha, was involved in the August 2 incident. They warned the Chinese coast guard ships to leave the waters, and the Chinese vessels eventually complied, leaving Japanese waters on July 11.
It's worth noting that Chinese vessels have been spotted sailing near these disputed islets for a record of 216 consecutive days as of June 22, 2025. This persistent maritime presence by China near the islands indicates a continued tension in the region.
The Senkaku Islands are not located in mainland China, as some might mistakenly believe. They are a part of Okinawa Prefecture, a chain of islands in the southern part of Japan. The latest incident occurred near Uotsuri Island, one of the islands in the Senkaku chain.
In a separate incident on July 9, Chinese coast guard ships intruded near a different island in the Senkaku chain. The exact time of this incident was around 12:50 a.m. However, it's important to clarify that there was no intrusion on July 11, contrary to some reports.
These repeated incursions highlight the tensions and increased enforcement activities from both sides, with the Japan Coast Guard monitoring and reporting these intrusions regularly. The developments are part of a broader pattern of heightened maritime contestation in East Asia.
The latest incident involving the Senkaku Islands, a territory under dispute between Japan and China, is a recent event in a series of political conflicts and general news stories related to war-and-conflicts in East Asia. The persistent maritime presence by China near the Senkaku Islands indicates a continued politics of tension in the region, contributing to the general news narrative of ongoing war-and-conflicts.
