Japan set to buy disputed isles
The uninhabited islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, have long been a source of friction. Japan and China have competing claims to the islets and surrounding fishing areas and potentially rich gas deposits. The government will buy them for 2.05 billion yen (£16.5 million) and the owners will sign a contract soon, the Japanese dailies Asahi and Yomiuri reported.
Tokyo’s nationalist governor, Shintaro Ishihara, originally proposed a plan in April to buy three of the five uninhabited islands.