Chinese ships in disputed waters: Japan

Three Chinese government ships yesterday plied waters around islands controlled by Tokyo and claimed by Beijing, the Japanese coastguard said.
The maritime surveillance vessels entered the 12-nautical-mile zone regarded as the territorial waters of Uotsurijima, one of the Senkaku islands, which China calls the Diaoyus, in the East China Sea shortly before 8:30 am (2330 GMT Wednesday), the coastguard said.
The three vessels left the zone after about three hours, it said later.
Ships from the two countries have for months traded warnings over intrusions into what both regard as sovereign areas as Beijing and Tokyo jostle over ownership of the strategically sited and resource-rich islands.