Summary Three Chinese ships moved into territorial waters off disputed Tokyo-controlled islands late Monday.
TOKYO (AFP) - Three Chinese government ships moved into territorial waters off disputed Tokyo-controlled islands late Monday, Japan s coastguard said.
The maritime surveillance ships entered the 12-nautical-mile zone off Uotsurijima, one of the Senkaku islands which China claims and calls the Diaoyus, after 7:00 pm (1000 GMT), the Japan Coast Guard said in a statement.
The vessels remained in the waters for some two hours before leaving shortly after 9:00 pm (1200 GMT).
State-owned Chinese ships have frequently spent time around the five disputed islands in the East China Sea since Japan nationalised three of them last September.
