Japan flags 216 days of Chinese intrusions near East China Sea islands
Japan has spotted Chinese vessels sailing near disputed islets in the East China Sea for a record 216 consecutive days, according to Tokyo's coastguard.
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The Tokyo-administered islets, known as the
Diaoyu Islands in China and Senkakus in Japan, have long been a sore point between the neighbours.
On Sunday, Japan said it observed four Chinese coastguard vessels sailing in the 'contiguous' zone, referring to a 12-nautical-mile (22km) band that extends beyond Japan's territorial waters.
Last year, Chinese vessels sailed near the Tokyo-administered island chain
more than 350 times , including for a period of 215 consecutive days, a Japanese coastguard spokesman said.
Japanese officials regularly protest against the presence of the Chinese coastguard and other vessels in the waters surrounding the disputed islands.
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