Amid escalating tensions in the disputed East China Sea, Japan is mulling to send its armed forces to deal with the surge in Chinese activity in the Japanese-controlled Diaoyu Islands, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. The Chinese Coast Guard has expanded its presence in the contested water near the Diaoyu Islands, known in Japan as the Senkakus. The frequency of Chinese coastguard vessels entering the waters has risen from twice a month last year to twice a week in February, according to the Japan Coast Guard. The islands in question have long been an object of territorial disputes between China and Japan. Last month, Japan lodged a protest with China after two Chinese ships intruded into Japanese coastal waters near the disputed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, local media reported.

Source: Hindustan Times March 07, 2021 17:15 UTC