Japan says Chinese ships expelled from near disputed islands

Japan said on July 7 it expelled two Chinese coast guard ships from waters near disputed islands also claimed by Beijing.



The Chinese ships were approaching a Japanese fishing vessel operating in the area, Japan's coast guard said.



The two countries have a long-running territorial dispute over the Senkaku Islands – known as the Diaoyu in China – which lie between Taiwan and Japan’s Okinawa.



They have figured for decades in bilateral tensions, which have worsened since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made comments about Taiwan in November that angered Beijing.



Chinese ships last entered waters Japan claims as its territory on June 10, but it is rare for vessels to approach Japanese fishing boats.



The coast guard "issued orders to leave... successfully forcing the Chinese coast guard vessels to leave Japanese territorial waters by approximately 9.20am today," it said in a statement.



In addition, the coast guard "was deployed around the Japanese fishing vessel to ensure its safety".