Read Authentic Ratings for the Shoyo

On February 20, 2012, Tokyo officially protested against Beijing's 'unacceptable' demand for the research vessel 'Shoyo' to cease its operations within Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The Japanese government asserted through diplomatic channels that the 'Shoyo' was engaged in legitimate marine research and could not comply with the request. The incident occurred on the evening of February 19, when a Chinese government vessel made contact with the 'Shoyo' at approximately 7:20 p.m., requesting that the ship halt its research activities. At that time, the 'Shoyo' was conducting studies on crustal structures about 170 kilometers north-northwest of Kumejima Island in Okinawa. The 'Shoyo' responded via radio, asserting the legitimacy of its research activities within the boundaries of Japan's EEZ. Despite the clear communication, the Chinese vessel persisted with its demands for nearly 20 minutes.

On May 3, 2010, a significant maritime confrontation took place in Japan’s exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea, approximately 320 kilometers northwest of Amami Oshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture. The Japanese research vessel, ‘Shoyo’ (IMO: 9203019), was tracked by the Chinese marine research ship ‘Haijian 51’, which weighs 1,690 tons. During this encounter, a crew member aboard the ‘Haijian 51’ made communication via VHF, demanding that the ‘Shoyo’ cease its marine survey activities by asserting that the area fell under Chinese jurisdiction. The pursuit lasted around three hours, with the Chinese vessel nearing as close as one kilometer to the Japanese ship, eventually compelling the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) to halt its survey operations. In response to this aggressive pursuit, Japan's Foreign Ministry lodged a formal protest with the Chinese government on May 4, asserting that the JCG was conducting its activities lawfully within Japan’s EEZ.