Japan Coast Guard officials say two Chinese government ships have entered Japan's territorial waters off the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.

The officials say the ships entered the waters off Minamikojima island at around 2:40 a.m. on Friday, after navigating in the contiguous zone just outside the territorial waters with two other Chinese government ships.

The Japanese maker of a popular souvenir cookie has launched the item on the Chinese online market to prop up its sales hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

NHK has learned that Ishiya began offering the product on two major e-commerce sites last month. The item, called "Shiroi Koibito," or literally "white lover," sold well among Chinese tourists before the virus spread.

The resumption of business travel between Japan and China is making travel agencies in China busy with inquiries from local businesses about trips to Japan.

On Monday, the two countries eased entry restrictions imposed in response to the coronavirus pandemic, allowing businesspeople to make trips for both short- and long-term stays. This will allow for business activities on a limited scope even during a 14-day quarantine period.

Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide will meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Tokyo later on Wednesday. Japan is aiming to continue high-level bilateral talks.

Wang is the first Chinese high-ranking official to visit Japan since the launch of Suga's Cabinet.

This year has seen a record high number of days that Chinese government ships have sailed just outside Japan's territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.

The Japan Coast Guard said that as of 9:00 a.m. on Monday, four Chinese vessels were sailing in waters off Kubashima, one of the Senkakus. The area is in the contiguous zone just outside of Japan's territorial waters.

The Japan Coast Guard reports that two Chinese patrol ships have been in Japan's territorial waters for two days. This is the longest intrusion into the waters in eight years.

Officials say the two vessels entered the waters off the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea shortly before 11 a.m. Sunday and tried to approach a Japanese fishing boat.

The Japan Coast Guard says two Chinese patrol ships have entered Japan's territorial waters off the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, and are repeatedly trying to approach a Japanese fishing boat.

Coast Guard officials say two of the three Chinese vessels that had been sailing just outside the territorial waters made the intrusion off Taisho Island shortly before 11 a.m. on Sunday.

NHK has learned that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected to visit Japan as early as next month to meet his Japanese counterpart, Motegi Toshimitsu.

A meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide is also being arranged. It would be Suga's first face-to-face talks with a senior Chinese official since assuming the post.

Japan's government says it will place anti-dumping duties on Chinese chemical products used in thermal insulation. The measures will stay in place for five years.

The government says a probe concluded that the flame retardant chemical called Trisphosphate is priced below fair market value.

A Japan Coast Guard patrol ship has left for waters off the Senkaku Islands, where Chinese fishing boats were seen operating on Monday.

The patrol vessel departed from Ishigaki Island in Japan's southwestern Okinawa Prefecture. This came after Beijing on Sunday lifted an annual fishing ban in the East China Sea, including waters off the Senkakus.

A group of Japanese lawmakers is looking to place restrictions on Chinese-made apps out of concern that user data could end up in the hands of the Chinese government.

The lawmakers from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party say they will urge Japan's government to take legislative steps to limit the use of video-sharing app TikTok and others offered by Chinese firms.

Japan's Coast Guard says Chinese patrol ships have been spotted just outside Japanese territorial waters in the East China Sea for 100 straight days.

Coast guard officials say four Chinese patrol vessels were navigating in the contiguous zone outside the territorial waters near the Senkaku Islands at 9 a.m. on Wednesday.

Japan's Coast Guard says Chinese patrol ships have entered Japanese territorial waters on consecutive days and sailed for an extended time within them.

The officials say two Chinese patrol ships entered the waters off the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea after 4 p.m. on Thursday. They say the two ships repeatedly approached a Japanese fishing boat inside the territorial waters.

Japan has lodged a protest with China over Friday's chase of a Japanese fishing boat by two Chinese patrol boats that intruded into Japanese waters off the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide says the government will strongly urge China to respond positively without undermining cooperation between the two countries over the coronavirus pandemic.