Chinese Ships Close in on Disputed Islands

Government says ships are there for "law enforcement"

Six Chinese surveillance ships have entered waters near islands claimed by both Japan and China.

China said the ships were carrying out "law enforcement" to demonstrate its jurisdiction over the islands, known as Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan.

The move came after Japan sealed a deal to buy three of the islands from their private Japanese owner, businessman Kunioki Kurihara, who used to rent them out to the Japanese state.

The islands were the focus of a major diplomatic row between Japan and China in 2010, the BBC reports.