Japan deploys 12 coast guard ships to patrol Senkakus

The Japan Coast Guard said Monday it has finished deploying 12 ships to exclusively patrol areas around Japanese-controlled, Chinese-claimed islands in the East China Sea amid China's growing maritime assertiveness.

The fleet, consisting of 10 newly built 1,500-ton patrol ships and two helicopter-equipped patrol vessels, will become fully operational this month as part of efforts to strengthen protection of waters off the Senkaku Islands, called Diaoyu by China.

After tensions heighted with China following the Japanese government's purchase of most of the islands from a private Japanese owner in September 2012, the Japan Coast Guard's 11th regional headquarters, which is based in Okinawa and oversees the area, has received help from other regions to patrol the Senkakus.
 [Kyodo]
4/4/16
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Senkaku/Diaoyu issue