Chinese Coast Guard Vessels Enter Disputed Waters in East China Sea

A group of disputed islands, Uotsuri island (top), Minamikojima (bottom) and Kitakojima, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, in the East China Sea, in September 2012. Kyodo/Reuters

BEIJING/TOKYO—China’s Coast Guard said it patrolled the waters of the Diaoyu Islands on Tuesday—territories in the East China Sea that are claimed by China, Japan, and Taiwan.

Japan’s Coast Guard issued a bulletin saying it was repeatedly urging the four Chinese vessels to leave “our territorial waters.” Japan calls them the Senkaku islands.