CCP’s Coast Guard Vessel with a 76mm Cannon Enters Japan’s Territorial Sea

According to a Japanese media report, four CCP’s coast guard vessels entered Japan’s territorial waters near the Senkaku Islands in succession since the early morning of Nov 25th.

The head of Japan’s 11th District Maritime Security Headquarters said one ship equipped with a 76mm cannon, which was by far the largest artillery seen on such type of Beijing’s vessel, first entered Tokyo’s territorial sea.

The first two coast guard vessels arrived at 2:35 a.m. on the 25th and two more ships joined them at about 10:00 a.m. with one vessel equipped with a 76mm cannon. Subsequently, the two vessels arriving later left Tokyo’s territorial sea at around 11:55 a.m., while the other two ships entered the contiguous zone outside the territorial waters at about 1:10 p.m.. This was the first intrusion by CCP’s official ships into Japan’s maritime territory near the Senkaku Islands and its contiguous zone since Nov 13th and the 32nd invasion this year. The patrol ships of Japan Coast Boat issued a warning, calling for CCP’s vessels to immediately leave its territorial waters.

CCP’s vessels have been reportedly detected near the Senkaku Islands and the contiguous zone for 23 days. On Nov 15th, CCP’s coast guard vessel with a 76mm artillery was spotted at the contiguous zone of Senkaku Islands for the first time.

Japanese chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno criticized Beijing, saying the maritime activities by CCP’s coast guard seriously violated international law. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed his concern to Emperor Xi about Beijing’s attempts to undermine Tokyo’s control over the Senkaku Islands during their first in-person meeting in Bangkok.