Japan says armed Chinese vessel spotted off disputed islands

Japan said it spotted for the first time today an armed Chinese coast guard ship near islands at the centre of a long-running territorial dispute between the two Asian giants.
Chinese ships regularly sail around the uninhabited islands, known as the Senkaku in Japanese and the Diaoyu in Chinese, but a Japanese coast guard spokesman said it was the first time an armed Chinese coast guard vessel had been sighted in the area.
"We don't know China's intentions, but our response will remain unchanged, and we'll act calmly and decisively for Japan's safety," said Yosuke Watanuki, a spokesman for the regional unit covering Japan's remote southern islands.

The Japanese coast guard released a photo of the ship sailing in the East China Sea. It was one of four Chinese coast guard vessels spotted in the waters Tuesday, but was the only one that was armed. They did not come close enough to the islands to violate what Japan considers its territorial waters.