Photo: AP

Japan's coastguard (JCG) said Chinese government ships were in waters around disputed East China Sea islands on Monday. Three state-run Maritime Surveillance vessels were spotted in seas off the Japan-controlled Senkaku Islands, which Beijing calls the Diaoyus and claims as its own, the coastguard said. The Kyodo News Agency reported that Japan had made a formal protest to China about what it believes is an incursion into its sovereign waters. Shinsuke Sugiyama, in charge of Asian and Oceanian affairs, said Japan has protested strongly through diplomatic channels and has asked these vessels to leave Japan immediately.