Newly appointed Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara warned Beijing that Tokyo will respond if it begins drilling in an East China Sea gas field where both Japan and China have claimed exploration rights.
China recently transported "unknown" equipment to the natural gas field known to Japan as Shirakaba and in China as Chunxiao. China has informed Japan the machinery was for "repair work" and not for drilling.
During a news conference late Friday night, Maehara said the government was still trying to confirm the facts.