Japan cannot afford to back down
Japan should remain undaunted by China's persistent menacing conduct and adhere to its resolute stance in dealing with that country.
Wednesday marked one year since Tokyo placed the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture under state control. On 63 days during the past year, Chinese government ships have entered Japanese waters around the group of islands. Chinese aircraft have also intruded into Japan’s airspace during that time.
On Sunday and Monday, two Chinese bombers and warships passed between Okinawa Island and Miyakojima. On Monday, an unmanned Chinese aircraft flew over waters off the Senkaku Islands, an incident that prompted an Air Self-Defence Force fighter to scramble. Such incidents could trigger an accidental conflict between the two countries.
One of the most important tasks facing Japan and China today is to rebuild bilateral relations. The two nations have close economic ties. They also need to promote cooperation in addressing such issues as North Korea’s nuclear weapons development and China’s environmental problems.
However, Tokyo cannot yield to Beijing over issues related to this nation’s sovereignty. The Senkaku Islands – which China calls Diaoyu and Taiwan Tiaoyutai – belong to Japan from the standpoint of both international law and historical fact.
Given this, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had good reason to reject China’s offer to hold a Japan-China summit meeting “if [Tokyo] acknowledges there is a territorial dispute [over the Senkakus] and agrees to shelve the problem.”
The government is currently stepping up efforts by the Japan coast guard to better police waters surrounding the Senkakus. It is essential that Japan continue to do all it can to defend its territorial integrity, including improving its defence capability.
The government’s recent signing of a fisheries agreement with Taiwan can be regarded as a certain measure of success in stopping Beijing and Taipei forming cooperative ties over the Senkaku issue. This is significant because Taipei also claims sovereignty over the archipelago.
The Senkaku Islands are covered by the Japan-US Security Treaty, which serves as the greatest deterrence to China.
During talks in St Petersburg last week, US President Barack Obama urged Chinese leader Xi Jinping to resolve the Senkaku issue through diplomacy and dialogue rather than force.
Japan and the United States must closely cooperate in dealing with China and refrain from making concessions to that country. Beijing may thereby be encouraged to change its strong-arm diplomatic tactics.
During a meeting with Abe in St Petersburg, the Chinese president said he wanted to see progress in promoting “strategically reciprocal relations”. It was the first time the two leaders had spoken to each other.
What was the true motive behind the Chinese leader’s remark?
Xi’s administration has sought to stir nationalistic sentiment among the Chinese in a bid to unite his people. This means he cannot adopt what his people may perceive as a weak approach to Japan. With this in mind, Tokyo must be prepared to see China’s threatening and provocative conduct in waters around the Senkaku Islands continue for some time to come.
