Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe

Japan and China claim rights to undersea resources in the waters. Tokyo has proposed a joint exploration, but China has refused and gone ahead with its own drilling.

Abe said the government lodged a protest after two Chinese vessels were spotted near a new, fourth gas exploration site.

Abe accused China of taking advantage of the stalemate between the two countries to strengthen its hand by making its exploration of the area "an established fact."

"As we have done in the past, we protested this time as well," said Abe.

The Japan Times Weekly: Sept. 2, 2006
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