Japan Stops Activists from Reaching Disputed Islands

日阻保钓人士登陆争议群岛

Japan's coast guard says it has prevented a boat carrying ethnic Chinese activists from landing on a disputed chain of islands. A coast guard spokesman said Japanese patrol ships first warned the vessel to steer clear of the islands in the East China Sea Friday and then sprayed it with water. Officials say the boat has left the area, about 200 kilometers northeast of Taiwan.

About 25 activists had set sail from Hong Kong Sunday with plans to protest Japan's claim of sovereignty over the islands - known as "Senkaku" in Japan and "Diaoyu" in China. Both China and Taiwan also claim the island chain, which is surrounded by rich fishing grounds and possible oil deposits. Japan took control of the islands in 1895 when it colonized Taiwan. The U.S. held the islands following World War Two and returned them to Japan in 1972.

日本海岸警卫队说，他们阻止了一艘载有华人活动人士的船只在有争议的群岛登陆。日本海岸警卫队一位发言人说，日本巡逻艇星期五先是警告这艘船只不要进入东海的这片岛屿，后来又向这艘船只喷水。有关官员说，这艘船只已经离开了位于台湾东北大约200公里处的水域。

大约有25名活动人士星期天从香港乘船出发，计划前往日本称为尖阁列岛和中国称为钓鱼岛，抗议日本对这些岛屿宣称主权。中国和台湾也宣称对那些岛屿拥有主权。那里有丰富的渔业资源，还可能蕴藏有石油。日本1895年殖民台湾时占领了这些岛屿，二战之后美国获得控制权，后在1972年把它们交还给日本。