This handout photo, provided by the Japan Coast Guard, shows a China Coast Guard vessel and a helicopter within the territorial waters of the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands on May 3 2025.
The number of days China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels were spotted in the contiguous zone around disputed islands in the East China Sea hit a record high in 2025 for the fourth consecutive year. The islands are controlled by Japan but claimed by China, known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan and the Diaoyu Islands in China.
According to data released by the Japan Coast Guard (JCG), Chinese government vessels entered the contiguous zone – defined as 12 to 24 nautical miles (22 to 44 kilometers) from the coast – on 357 of 365 days last year. This was the highest figure since 2008, when official Chinese vessels were first confirmed operating in the area, and two days more than the previous record of 355 days set in 2024.
The CCG also set a record for
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