Three China ships in disputed zone: Japan coastguard

Three Chinese coastguard ships entered disputed waters near East China Sea islands at the centre of a bitter row with Tokyo, Japanese officials said.

Tokyo: Three Chinese coastguard ships on Tuesday entered disputed waters near East China Sea islands at the centre of a bitter row with Tokyo, Japanese officials said.

The vessels sailed into the 12-nautical-mile band around the Tokyo-controlled Senkaku islands -- which Beijing calls the Diaoyus -- at around 0030 GMT, the Japanese coastguard said. The incursion came a day after Japan`s defence minister said Tokyo could be a key participant if conflict breaks out in Asia as he warned China was seeking to exploit difficulties between allies. It was the latest in a series of forays by Chinese ships in a year-long spat between Tokyo and Beijing that has sent relations plummeting. The islands -- believed to harbour vast natural resources below their seabed -- are seen as a potential flashpoint that some observers fear could lead to armed conflict between the Asian giants. AFP