Now dozens of Chinese fishing boats are nosing about the area

Beijing insists Japan has no authority over the islands, and regularly sends coastguard vessels to escort its fishing boats.

But Japan’s Defence Minister Taro Kono said earlier this month that his forces were “ready to respond” – but refused to detail how. The Japanese Maritime Defence Force has since deployed more than 20 ships to patrol the islands.

Jamie Seidel is a freelance writer