Japanese fishermen who regularly sail to waters around the disputed Senkaku Islands have recently been urged by officials to steer clear of the area, as Tokyo seeks to avoid a potential diplomatic and security escalation with China in the East China Sea. The requests began late last year and involve local fishermen long associated with voyages seen as reinforcing Japan’s control over the uninhabited islets, according to those involved and others familiar with the matter. Hitoshi Nakama, 76, considers himself a frontline defender of Japan’s territorial claims, frequently navigating around Chinese coast guard vessels to fish in the resource-rich waters. However, he said that since late last year, Japanese officials have been discreetly asking him and other fishermen to avoid the remote outcrops, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, to prevent a diplomatic clash with Beijing.

Full report : Japanese authorities have quietly urged fishermen to avoid the disputed Senkaku Islands to prevent a potential escalation with China as regional tensions rise.