Japan: Japan has lodged a strong protest after four Chinese government vessels entered its territorial waters off the coast of the uninhabited Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.

According to Qatar News Agency, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara Minoru stated in remarks carried by public broadcaster NHK that Japan had filed the protest through diplomatic channels. He described the incident as a violation of international law and demanded that the Chinese vessels withdraw immediately.

Kihara labeled the intrusion as regrettable and unacceptable, emphasizing that Japan will respond calmly and resolutely.

The Senkaku Islands, administered by Japan, are at the center of a longstanding territorial dispute with China, which refers to them as the Diaoyu Islands and also claims sovereignty over the area.