A Chinese naval ship sailed in Japan's waters earlier this week off its southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima, the country's Defence Ministry said on Friday.
The Chinese survey ship was spotted sailing off the southwestern prefecture on Wednesday and Thursday in the so-called contiguous zone outside Japan's territorial waters, reported Kyodo News citing the ministry.
A Maritime Self-Defense Force patrol plane spotted the ship heading toward Japanese waters from the contiguous zone south of Yakushima Island around 8:40 pm on Wednesday.
The ship was then seen sailing west of Kuchinoerabu Island in the zone westward around 1:20 am on Thursday, the ministry further said.
The Chinese vessel entered Japanese waters sometime between Wednesday night and early Thursday, the ministry determined based on the pattern of sightings, though it did not specify when the intrusion happened, according to Kyodo News.
( With inputs from ANI )
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