TOKYO -- A Chinese nuclear submarine spotted near the Senkaku Islands on Thursday failed to acknowledge repeated warnings from Japan, Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said Monday.
The vessel sailed through the contiguous zone adjoining Japanese territorial waters around the uninhabited islands, which China claims as the Diaoyu. It is not a violation of international law for vessels to enter this type of zone, a band of water stretching up to 12 nautical miles from the outer edge of territorial waters. But incursions can be read as a threat to territorial waters.
