Chinese survey ship spotted acting in Japan's EEZ without consent
The Japan Coast Guard says it detected a Chinese maritime research ship engaging in activities in Japan's exclusive economic zone near its southernmost island without obtaining prior consent from Tokyo.
Coast Guard officials said their patrolling aircraft spotted the ship about 270 kilometers east of Okinotorishima Island in the Pacific at about 5:40 p.m. on Monday.
The officials added that the ship was sailing while putting what appeared to be a wire into the ocean.
The Coast Guard aircraft radioed the vessel in Japanese, Chinese and other languages, telling it to stop its activities. It warned that research activities without obtaining consent from Japan cannot be allowed in the area.
The vessel reportedly left the EEZ about 5 hours later. The Coast Guard is continuing to patrol the area.
The officials said the last time a Chinese research ship was found conducting activities without Japan's prior consent in the EEZ near the island was on January 1 2024.
This latest activity marks the ninth such occurrence in the past decade.
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