Chinese vessels near Senkaku Islands for record 158 days

Nhina's Coast Guard ships have been in the waters surrounding Japanese-controlled islands in the East China Sea for a record 158 days, breaking the previous record established in 2021, reported CNN citing Tokyo's most recent count.

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Analysts worry that the uninhabited islands, called the Diaoyu Islands in China and the Senkaku in Japan, could spark hostilities between the two Asian rivals.

"The Japanese government takes very seriously the fact that there has been a succession of vessels sailing in the contiguous zone and trespassing in territorial waters," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at Monday briefing in Tokyo, according to CNN.

Although foreign ships are permitted "innocent passage" through Japan's territorial waters, the chief spokesperson for the Japanese government did not specify the frequency of Chinese ship visits. The Chinese Coast Guard hasn't violated any international accords because foreign warships are permitted to enter contiguous zone seas, but their persistent presence there is viewed as provocative.