Tokyo , Japan ( CNN ) -- Japan 's main opposition party has filed a protest with search-engine giant Google , urging it to delete from its mapping service the Chinese name for a cluster of disputed islands . The islands in the East China Sea are known as the Senkaku in Japan and as the Diaoyu in China . `` It is clear that the Senkaku Islands are under the effective control of Japan in both history and the international law . Therefore , there is no territorial dispute to be resolved over the islands , '' the Liberal Democratic Party said Wednesday . `` It is clearly wrong to list the names as if a territorial dispute exists with China in this area . We strongly call you to delete it as soon as possible , '' the party said to Google . Asked about the LDP 's move , Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara said , `` The LDP 's action was totally upright . If necessary , the Japanese government will also take action together . '' His ministry `` will lodge a protest within a few days , '' he said . Google , based in the United States , was not immediately available for comment . Beijing says the Diaoyu Islands and most of the South China Sea belong to China , disputing neighboring countries ' claims . The clash over territorial waters and islands -- and the natural resources that go with them -- is a flash point in the Asia-Pacific region . Last month , China and Japan clashed over Japan 's arrest of a Chinese fishing captain . The battle escalated into diplomatic threats by Beijing , the suspension of diplomatic talks and canceled trips between the nations . `` If you read history documents , Chinese first discovered the island and put it in effective administration , '' Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Jiang Yu said at the time . Chinese state-run media also has repeatedly run articles claiming China 's `` indisputable sovereign rights '' to the islands . Japan late last month freed the fishing captain , who returned to a hero 's welcome in China . Critics blasted Japan 's government for backtracking , with some saying it had put business interests first .
The islands belong to Japan , the Liberal Democratic Party says . They are known as the Senkaku in Japan and as the Diaoyu in China . In a statement released on Monday, China's Foreign Ministry said it was "seriously concerned" about Japan's move but did not elaborate. The islands were part of a recent diplomatic battle between Tokyo and Beijing .