TOKYO—A flotilla of nearly 50 Taiwanese boats entered territorial waters near disputed islands controlled by Japan in the East China Sea on Tuesday as another Asian neighbor protested the Japanese government's purchase of the islands.
About 40 Taiwanese fishing boats and eight Taiwanese coast guard boats entered the territorial waters near the largest of the disputed islands, Uotsuri island, on Tuesday morning, the Japan Coast Guard said. It was the first time ships from Taiwan have entered the waters since the Japanese government announced earlier in the month it would purchase three of the islands, known as the Senkaku in Japanese and the Diaoyu in Chinese.
The vessels were met by the Japan Coast Guard and a minor altercation, broadcast on Japan's NHK, ensued. One of the Japanese vessels was seen racing up alongside a Taiwanese fishing boat and trying to cut off its course. The footage also showed the Japanese boats spraying the fishing vessels with water, while the Taiwanese patrol ships sprayed water back.
The development comes as a reminder that Taipei also claims the Senkaku, after the recent focus on anti-Japanese demonstrations in more than 100 cities in China, in the wake of Japan's decision to buy the islands. China also claims the islands, which are situated in supposedly resource-rich waters.
A Taiwanese fishing association said the fishing boats went to the islands to assert their right to fish in "traditional fishing grounds" and that they had planned to circle the islands at a distance of 12 nautical miles. The Taiwanese Coast Guard Administration said the ships were ultimately unable to circle the island as planned and turned around, describing the altercation as "mild."
A Japan Coast Guard patrol ship, center, and Taiwanese Coast Guard vessel, top, sprayed water at each other near the disputed islands in the East China Sea on Tuesday.
The Japan Coast Guard also released a photo taken of one of the Taiwanese fishing boats bearing a sign saying "Diaoyutai are Taiwan's," referring to the islands' name in Taiwan.
Japan's top government spokesman said Tokyo has lodged a protest with Taipei authorities.
"Obviously, we told them not to enter our territorial waters," Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura said at a regular news conference.
On Monday, Taiwan's Presidential Office reiterated its stance on Taipei's claim to the islands, but said it would not team up with China in the dispute.
Chinese government patrol boats have entered territorial waters several times in the past two weeks. The Japanese Coast Guard confirmed 10 still in the area as of Tuesday morning.
Re: 6 Chinese ships breach Japan’s naval border
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