Japan flags Chinese spy ship 'shadowing' Indian vessels

A Chinese spy ship entered Japan's territorial waters on Wednesday while tracking two Indian naval ships part of a joint naval exercise being conducted by Japan along with the United States and India, Japanese officials said

Following the intrusion, Japan raised "concerns" as it came less than a week after another Chinese naval vessel sailed near islands at the centre of a Tokyo-Beijing sovereignty dispute in the East China Sea.

"The ship appeared to be tracking two Indian naval ships that were sailing in the waters during joint naval drills" conducted by Japan, the US and India, Defence Minister Gen Nakatani told reporters, according to Kyodo.

A Japanese P-3C patrol aircraft spotted the Dongdiao-class intelligence vessel sailing in the territorial waters to the west of Kuchinoerabu island at around 3.30 am.

Since June 10, Japan, the US and India are conducting the naval drills in the waters east of Okinawa, near the Senkaku islands, which both Japan and China lay claim over.

According to reports, the Chinese ship also shadowed a US aircraft carrier John C. Stennis, participating in the joint exercise.