Four China Coast Guard Ships Leave Waters Near Senkaku After 236-Day Patrol

Overview

• Japan’s 11th Regional Coast Guard in Naha reported that four China Coast Guard vessels identified as 1305, 1304, 1302 and 1301 exited the contiguous zone outside the Senkaku territorial sea.
• The CCG’s continuous presence near the islands had reached 236 days before the ships departed, marking the second-longest sustained patrol since Japan nationalized the islands in 2012.
• Two of those vessels previously chased a Japanese fishing boat and entered Japanese territorial waters while asserting the area as China’s territorial sea, according to Japan Coast Guard accounts.
• All four ships are reported to carry machine guns, a detail that heightens concerns about the risk of escalation during close encounters at sea.
• Officials and reporters link the withdrawal to the approach of Typhoon No.9, and authorities say the move appears temporary rather than a change to the underlying dispute, so continued monitoring is expected.