Japan PM issues warning to Beijing over Diaoyu Islands
Chinese landing on Diaoyus will be met with 'decisive action', warns Shinzo Abe, as Beijing sends surveillance fleet to disputed islands
Tensions between Beijing and Tokyo flared again yesterday after 168 Japanese lawmakers visited a Tokyo war shrine and both countries sent ships to a disputed area of the East China Sea.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe warned Tokyo would "expel by force" any Chinese landing on the Diaoyu Islands, known as the Senkakus in Japan, while Beijing accused Tokyo of showing no respect for history.
Abe's warning came after China sent eight surveillance vessels within 12 nautical miles of the islands - the most in a single day since Japan bought three of the islands in September.
Beijing said they were sent to monitor Japanese fishing boats.
The State Oceanic Administration said the fleet "collected evidence of the Japanese vessels' infringement upon China's sovereignty". In response, Abe told lawmakers that Japan would take "decisive action" against any attempt to enter Japanese territorial waters.
"It would be natural for us to expel by force if the Chinese were to make a landing," he said.
Tokyo summoned Chinese ambassador Cheng Yonghua . Cheng, in return, demanded that all Japanese ships leave the waters near the islands.
