Japan and China open hotline amid simmering tensions

A Philippine Coast Guard rigid hull inflatable boat passes by the Japanese Coast Guard Akitsushima during a trilateral Coast Guard drill of the U.S, Japan and Philippines, near the waters of the disputed South China See in Bataan province, Philippines, June 6, 2023. [AP Photo]

Just days ago, Chinese and Japanese coast guard ships faced off again over rocky islets in the East China Sea that each nation claims as its own.

Called the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China, the Nov. 1 incident was a repeat of a similar incident on Oct. 17.