TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Defence Minister Taro Kono told China’s ambassador to Japan, Kong Xuanyou, his country should refrain from activities around disputed East China Sea islands that are controlled by Tokyo but claimed by Beijing, public broadcaster NHK reported.
Kono expressed strong concern over China’s actions in a 40-minute meeting at the defence ministry, NHK said, after Japan last month accused Chinese government ships of repeated intrusions into its territorial waters around the islands.
China said last month the islands, known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China, were Chinese territory and it had the right to conduct law enforcement activities in the area.
(Reporting by Takashi Umekawa; Editing by Alex Richardson)
