China Expands Coast Guard Activity Near Senkaku Islands, Deepening Tensions With Japan

Post by : Saif Nasser

China has sharply increased the number of coast guard patrols around the disputed Senkaku Islands over the last five years, according to figures shared by Chinese state media. The data highlights how active and sensitive the area has become, as China and Japan continue to clash over control of the islands.

China’s state broadcaster CCTV reported that the country’s coast guard organised 134 patrol operations around the islands during this period. These missions involved a huge deployment effort, including about 550,000 vessel movements and nearly 6,000 aircraft flights. The numbers show a sustained and well-coordinated presence in the East China Sea.

The report also revealed that in 2025, Chinese coast guard ships operated near the islands for 357 days. This means Chinese vessels were present almost every day of the year, leaving little time when the waters were free from patrol activity.

The islands are administered by Japan, which calls them the Senkaku Islands, while China refers to them as the Diaoyu Islands. Both countries claim ownership, and the disagreement has lasted for decades. The waters around the islands are important because they lie along busy shipping routes and are believed to hold valuable fishing grounds and possible energy resources.

This long-running dispute has often strained relations between Asia’s two largest economies. Chinese and Japanese coast guard ships frequently come close to one another during patrols, increasing the risk of tense standoffs. Just last month, a maritime confrontation near the islands again raised concerns about how quickly the situation could worsen.

China says its patrols are legal and meant to protect its territorial rights. Japan strongly disagrees, arguing that the Chinese presence violates its control over the islands. Japanese authorities regularly lodge protests and send their own coast guard vessels to monitor the area.

Security experts warn that the growing patrol activity raises the chances of accidents or misunderstandings at sea. Even a minor incident could lead to serious diplomatic fallout and further damage already fragile relations between the two countries.

The dispute is also closely watched by other nations, especially the United States, which has pledged to support Japan under their security alliance. While none of the parties appear to want open conflict, the steady increase in patrols shows that tensions remain high.

As both China and Japan continue to assert their claims, the waters around the Senkaku Islands remain one of the most sensitive flashpoints in the region. Without calm dialogue and restraint, analysts fear that routine patrols could one day trigger a much larger crisis.