Chinese marine research ships spotted near Senkaku Islands

NAHA, Japan, Sept. 26 Kyodo - Chinese marine research ships were spotted sailing within Japan's exclusive economic zone near the Japan-administered Senkaku Islands, which are claimed by China and Taiwan, on Sunday and Monday, according to the Japan Coast Guard.
One of the ships was found by coast guard aircraft at around 4:50 p.m. Monday in waters about 145 kilometers north-northeast of one of the disputed islands in an area that was different from where China had informed Japan earlier that the vessel would operate, coast guard officials said.
The ship had lowered what appeared to be a wire from the stern, they said. The coast guard aircraft's crew warned the ship that it cannot approve of it conducting a survey in an area different from prior notification but there was no response from the vessel, they added.
On Sunday, a coast guard aircraft observed another ship, which had lowered what appeared to be wires and ropes from the stern and was sailing outside the area in which China had said in advance the ship would conduct a survey, the officials said.
The aircraft, which spotted the Chinese vessel around 5:55 p.m. Sunday, and a coast guard patrol ship issued warnings to the Chinese boat not to conduct a survey outside the agreed area.
A crew member of the Chinese ship said in a radio transmission at 9:15 p.m. that the ship was in waters where it was supposed to be operating. The coast guard confirmed shortly after 10 p.m. that the Chinese vessel had pulled its wires and ropes out of the sea.
The 11th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters in Naha asked China through diplomatic channels to look into the matter and said Japan will not allow marine research to be conducted in the area without its consent.
Chinese patrol and research vessels have repeatedly approached the Senkaku Islands.