The submarine refused to identify itself, and Japan tracked it for days until announcing on Friday that it was Chinese. Tokyo immediately protested to Beijing. Japanese officials said on Tuesday that China had confirmed the sub's identity, claimed the incursion was an accident and expressed regret, but Chinese officials refused to immediately confirm that.
The intrusion prompted calls for greater military vigilance in Tokyo, and joined a long list of incidents that have soured the atmosphere between China and Japan.
RSS