Taiwan and Japan Duel...

... using water cannons.

Two coastguard patrol boats blasted each other with water cannon as tensions escalated over the ownership of a tiny group of rocky islands in the South China Sea.

The Japanese vessel opened fire on its Taiwanese rival as the ship encroached on the disputed land - which is also claimed by China - earlier today.

In a bid to repel the approaching flotilla, they opened fire with their powerful water arsenal. But the Taiwanese boats fired back with their own spray guns sparking a ferocious water fight.

In the end, the might of Japan proved too strong for their Taiwanese counterparts, who eventually turned on their tails and headed home.

It was the latest confrontation over the uninhabited islands Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China.

China, Japan and Taiwan all claim the islands, but they are administered by Tokyo, since the Japanese government bought them from private owners two weeks ago.

Good thing they didn't have super-soakers, or they may have attempted a boarding action.