Government officials and experts say Japan's confirmation last month that its coast guard can legally fire against any foreign vessel that it believes is aiming to disembark on the Senkaku Islands will boost Tokyo's deterrence against Beijing.
Ruling Liberal Democratic Party members have been seeking to formulate a counterstrategy since Beijing implemented a law on Feb. 1 allowing its coast guard to use weapons against foreign ships that China deems to be illegally entering its waters.
There was growing concern among party members that China's new law was targeted at the Senkaku Islands, which China claims and calls the Diaoyu, an LDP member said.