Japan's defense minister draws red line in island dispute with China

[left-of-center2012]

Japan is drawing a red line around an island chain also claimed by China, pushing back at Beijing's increasingly aggressive military posturing, and setting the stage for a potential showdown between the region's two biggest powers. In an exclusive interview with CNN, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said the Senkaku Islands, known as the Diaoyu Islands in China, are unquestionably Japanese territory and would be defended as such, with Tokyo matching any Chinese threat to the islands ship for ship, and beyond if necessary.

Japan has been expanding its ‘Self-Defense Forces’, adding state-of-the-art F-35 fighter jets and converting warships into aircraft carriers for them. It is also building new destroyers, submarines and missiles, all the while noting its military expenditure still pales in comparison with China's increased military spending.

"Against Chinese action to Senkaku Islands and other parts of the East China Sea ... we have to demonstrate that the government of Japan is resolutely defending our territory with the greater number of Japanese coast guard vessels than that of China," Kishi said. "There is no territorial dispute relating to the Senkaku Islands between Japan and other countries," he added. Tensions over the uninhabited rocky chain -- 1,200 miles southwest of Tokyo but only a third of that distance from Shanghai -- have simmered for years, and claims over them date back centuries.

According to Japanese authorities, Chinese Coast Guard vessels have ventured into Japanese territorial waters, or within 12 nautical miles of Japanese land, a total of 88 times between January 1 and the end of August. While in the contiguous zone, waters between islands but not within 12 miles of shore, there have been 851 Chinese incursions. Experts say China's strategy is to put its forces in places in and around contested areas and exert Beijing's law and authority over them.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/15/asia/japan-defense-minister-kishi-china-interview-intl-hnk-ml/index.html

[brush]

1. Well, this bears watching. Wonder are the inhabitants on the islands...

ethnic Japanese or Chinese? And are the islands in the South China Sea? Several nations are contesting claims in that region.

[left-of-center2012]

3. "ethnic Japanese or Chinese?" -- "Several nations are contesting claims in that region"

From the linked article:

“Tensions over the uninhabited rocky chain have simmered for years, and claims over them date back centuries.”

"There is no territorial dispute relating to the Senkaku Islands between Japan and other countries," Kishi said.

[brush]

4. Thanks for the info...and I found they are in the East China Sea.

[left-of-center2012]

5. Yes -- in the linked article n/t

[Sherman A1]

2. Not unexpected

But unfortunate nonetheless.

[soryang]

6. great

now we could get dragged into a war over some uninhabited rocks.