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Japan protests after Chinese navy ship sails near disputed islands

09 June 2016 05:26 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Japan summoned the Chinese ambassador in Tokyo early on Thursday to express concern after a Chinese navy ship sailed close to what Japan considers its territorial waters in the East China Sea for the first time, the Foreign Ministry said, APA reports quoting Reuters.

The Foreign Ministry said the Chinese navy ship had entered waters shortly after midnight that are contiguous to what Tokyo considers its territory in the vicinity of disputed islands, known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China.

The incident came as a potential setback after signs of improvements seen in relations between Asia's two largest economic powers, which had soured in recent years over their wartime history and territorial rows.

Japan's Vice Foreign Minister Akitaka Saiki summoned the Chinese ambassador in Tokyo at around 2 a.m. (1.00 p.m. ET on Wednesday) to "express a serious concern" and urge the Chinese ship to leave the area, the ministry said in a media statement.

The Chinese frigate left the waters about an hour later, sailing to the north, the Japanese Defence Ministry said.