Owner of disputed Senkaku Islands informs Tokyo governor of reaching deal with central govt

Tokyo, Sept. 9 (ANI): The owner of three of the Senkaku Islands has informed Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara that he has agreed to sell the disputed islands to the central government.

Sources said that the owner met Ishihara, who had earlier said he would not be persuaded to drop the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's bid to buy the three islands until he received a face-to-face explanation about the sale.

According to the Japan Times, the owner told him that an agreement had been reached with the central government and apologized for not being able to sell the islands to him, sources said.

Earlier in the week, sources said Japan's central government had agreed to purchase the three uninhabited islands in the East China Sea for 2.05 billion yuan, a move likely to further strain already tense relations with China.

China has slammed the move and hinted at countermeasures to safeguard its claimed sovereignty over them.

Ishihara had announced in April that the metropolitan government was planning to purchase three of the islands by the end of the year to protect Japanese territory.

The Senkaku Islands, administered by Japan, are claimed by China, which refers to them as Diaoyu, and by Taiwan, where they are called Tiaoyutai. (ANI)