The Chinese Foreign Ministry lodged a direct protest early Sunday against Japan's leasing of land on three of the five Senkaku Islands, which are also claimed by China and Taiwan, Japanese officials said.
In a phone call to Japan's ambassador to China, Koreshige Anami, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged him to convey to Tokyo that it must correct its action. He said the unilateral step taken by Japan is illegal, void and unacceptable to China, the officials said.
Wang also told Anami that correcting the situation was important for maintaining friendly diplomatic ties, they said.