Japan Demands Chinese Ships Leave Disputed Waters (Update1)

[Coventina]

Source: Bloomberg

Dec. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Japan asked two Chinese research ships to leave disputed waters, the government’s top spokesman said today.

Japan’s coast guard asked the Chinese ships to leave waters near islands claimed by Japan, China and Taiwan in the East China Sea, Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura told reporters in Tokyo. The islands are known as Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyutai in Chinese and are controlled by Japan.

“Such activity is extremely regrettable and we demand immediate withdrawal,” Kawamura said. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs quickly lodged a protest with the Chinese government.”

(snip)

A faxed request for comment to China’s Foreign Ministry did not receive an immediate response.



Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=aa7_JWuNKIOQ&refer=japan

[Ian David]

1. After the Japanese violated Australian waters to illegally hunt wales, they're bitching now? n/t

[hendo]

2. this has been

a long standing dispute between Japan and China since the end of WWII. So "bitching now", not quite, try bitching for the past 40 years.

[Poll_Blind]

3. Japan and China- now THERE are two countries who do not play well together, historically.

PB

[David__77]

4. China has been very magnanimous with its claim on Diaoyutai.

It is more interested in peaceful cooperative relations with Japan. When the time is right, Japan will voluntarily return the islands for economic reasons.