Chinese warships cross waters near Japan island

Two Japan Coast Guard ships, center and right in foreground, sail ahead of a fleet of Chinese surveillance ships as a Japanese media company’s small jet flies by near disputed islands, called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, in the East China Sea Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 18, 2012. The disagreement between the two countries escalated last week when the Japanese government said it was purchasing some of the islands from their private owner. (AP Photo/Kyodo News)

TOKYO— Japanese aircraft have spotted seven Chinese warships in waters off a southern Japan island and about 200 kilometers (125 miles) from the uninhabited isles at the center of a territorial dispute between the two countries.

Japanese officials say the ships were sighted about 49 kilometers (30 miles) from the island of Yonaguni, in Japan’s Okinawa prefecture (state). The ships were believed to be returning to China after training in the Pacific.

Japan considers the area part of its contiguous waters, but it is not illegal for foreign vessels to transit them.

Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto said Japan is monitoring the ships’ movement.

China and Japan have stepped up their naval activities in the area around Okinawa because of the dispute, but there have been no clashes between their warships.