China Expels Japanese Vessel Amid Rising Maritime Tensions

The China Coast Guard expelled a Japanese fishing boat, the Tsurumaru, after it entered the territorial waters of the Diaoyu Islands on April 28, 2026. Spokesperson Jiang Lue stated that the agency took necessary measures to warn and remove the vessel, asserting that the islands are inherent Chinese territory and warning Japan to cease all provocative acts in the region.

This incident follows a period of heightened friction that began in mid-April. On April 17, a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer, the Ikazuchi, transited the Taiwan Strait on the anniversary of the Treaty of Shimonoseki. The Government of China reacted by deploying warships near Okinawa and launching combat readiness patrols in the East China Sea via its Eastern Theater Command.

Beijing has condemned Japanese actions as direct provocations, citing Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's assertions regarding the defense of Taiwan and a March breach of the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo by a Japanese officer. While China has warned Japan to step back from the brink, Japan continues to deepen security ties with the United States and the Philippines and increase its long-range strike capabilities to balance against China.