China Ships Ply Disputed Waters: Japan Mulls Response

Japan’s defense ministry recommends expansion of its marine force and consider a first-strike capability to deal with threats, reports Live Mint/WSJ.

Four Chinese vessels ordered Japanese ships to leave waters around disputed islands known as Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan, China’s State Oceanic Administration reported on its website [Chinese] as sourced by Live Mint.

China’s strengthened coast guard began operations on 22 July, and the action appeared to mark an escalation as previous maneuvers generally involved three vessels.

According to Live Mint, the incident came just as Japan’s defense ministry released a report recommending that the country expand its fledgling marine force, start using drones to patrol its waters and consider developing the ability to strike foreign targets.

Source: Live Mint/WSJ