Tokyo: Japan`s new Foreign Minister Koichiro
Gemba on Friday voiced concern over China`s growing naval power
and its activities near disputed islands in the East China
Sea.
"Its maritime activities are standing out," Gemba said at
his first news conference since being appointed the nation`s
top diplomat in the new cabinet of Prime Minister Yoshihiko
Noda earlier in the day.
"It is important for us to firmly seek progress in
transparency as its naval strength is expanding without
transparency."
Their territorial row over the islands -- called Senkaku
in Japan and Diaoyu in Chinese -- intensified last month after
Japan protested to Beijing over the entry of Chinese fishery
patrol boats into waters near the islands.
In September last year, Beijing broke off all high-level
contact with Tokyo after Japan detained a Chinese fishing boat
captain whose vessel had collided with Japanese coastguard
patrol ships in the same waters.
Japan eventually released the captain under strong
pressure from China, a move that helped eased the tension.
PTI
