Defense & Security

Chinese Ships Sail in Senkakus Contiguous Zone on 200 Days, Setting New Record for Consecutive Days of Entry

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
From front: Three of the Senkaku Islands are seen from a Yomiuri Shimbun plane.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:25 JST, July 9, 2024

Chinese Coast Guard ships have sailed in the contiguous zone around the Senkaku Islands in Ishigaki, Okinawa Prefecture, on 200 consecutive days, a new record, according to the 11th Regional Coast Guard Heazdquarters in Naha.

Four CCG ships were spotted in the contiguous zone on Monday, which marked the 200th straight day that Chinese Coast Guard ships had sailed in the zone since Dec. 22 last year. A contiguous zone is a sea belt stretching out about 22 kilometers from the outer borders of territorial waters.

According to the announcement, as of 9 a.m. Monday, the four Chinese ships were sailing separately off the islands of Kuba and Taisho of the Senkakus.

The Japan Coast Guard’s patrol ship was watching them to prevent the Chinese ships from intruding into Japanese territorial waters.