Japanese media has reported that Tokyo is planning to upgrade its missiles installed in the Senkaku Islands to protect its ownership of disputed territory from the increasing Chinese military presence in the region.

The Japanese government is reportedly working on a plan to install an upgraded version of its medium range surface-to-air Type 03 Chu-Sam missiles on the disputed Senkaku Islands in East China Sea, according to Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper. The government has allocated $270 million in next year's proposed defense expenditure for the project.  

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"Chinese military aircraft are increasing their activity around the Senkaku Islands," the newspaper said. "The government aims to enhance deterrence by deploying the upgraded version of the surface-to-air missile."

Senkaku Islands, located in Japan's southernmost Okinawa Prefecture, has long been center of a territorial dispute between Beijing and Tokyo. China claims ownership of the uninhabited islands, which are currently being controlled by Japan. China recently conducted combat drills in the Sea of Japan, which led to further heightening of tensions between two countries over the East China Sea.

The foreign ministers of China, Japan and South Korea held trilateral talks in Tokyo on Wednesday. China's foreign minister Wang Yi and his Japanese counterpart Fumino Kishida agreed to develop an emergency communication and response mechanism to prevent any misunderstanding and accident in the East China Sea.

Kishida urged Chia to cease all military activities in the international waters of East China Sea. "I strongly asked him to completely quieten the situation, prevent it from occurring again and improve the overall environment in the East China Sea," the Japanese foreign minister said. 

TagsJapan, china, East China Sea, East Chine Sea Update, senkaku