AJISS-Commentary
The Association of Japanese Institutes of Strategic Studies
IIPSRIPSInstitute for International

The Japan Institute ofResearch Institute for

Policy Studies

International Affairs

Peace and Security(Secretariat)

Editor:No. 164.

Akio Watanabe

6 November 2012

Editorial Board:JAPAN SHOULD STAND FIRM ON THE
SENKAKU ISLANDS DISPUTE

Hideki Asari
Masashi Nishihara
Taizo Yakushiji

Online Publisher:
Yoshiji Nogami
President, JIIA

Masashi Nishihara
China’s Claims Are Contradictory
China’s reactions to the Japanese government’s
decision on September 11 to buy the Senkaku (Diaoyuin Chinese) Islands reveal both China’s politicalfrustrations and the expansion of its navy. On
September 27 Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi
stated at the UN General Assembly that the islands
have been a part of China since ancient times and thatJapan stole them in 1895 after the Sino-Japanese War.
These claims, however, are contradictory, and Japan
should make certain that the international community
correctly understands the nature of the issue.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and should
not be attributed to The Association of Japanese Institutes ofStrategic Studies.

AJISS-Commentary
The Association of Japanese Institutes of Strategic StudiesTerritorial claims, in this case, should be based on international law, notan assertion on historical grounds. Japan decided to own the Senkaku Islands
on January 14, 1895, after it learned through careful investigation that they wereno man's islands. International Law justifies such a decision by the Japanese
government.The decision was made three months earlier than the Treaty ofShimonoseki, which was signed on April 17 the same year. Japan, therefore, did
not "steal" the islands through this treaty, as China claims. It is a fact that China
never contested Japan's decision until as late as 1971.
Furthermore, China’s argument that the islands have belonged to China
since ancient times is weak, as there is much evidence showing that itrecognized the Senkakus as Japanese territory until 1971. For instance, on May
20, 1920, the foreign office of the Republic of China sent a letter of thanks to thehead of Ishigaki Village in Okinawa for “rescuing our fishermen stranded in aheavy storm near the Senkakus, Yaejima County, Okinawa Prefecture.” The
People’s Daily of January 8, 1953, reported “anti-U.S. occupation movements inthe Ryukyu islands” (referring to the Okinawa island chain) by describing them“as consisting of six sets of small islands, including the Senkakus.”
Clearly, China made its new claims only after a UN report suggested thepossibility of oil resources in the seabed around the Senkakus. The Chinese
leaders' arguments thus are weak and are deceiving their own people and theworld.
If, however, the Chinese do want to use “historical grounds” as the basis
for their claim, they then should grant independence to Xinjiang and Tibet, whichthey annexed in 1949 and 1950, respectively.

The Senkakus Are Vital to the Security of the Western Pacific
The Senkakus are important not so much for oil and fishing resources as forregional security. If China took control of the Senkakus, it probably would build
military structures on them, such as radar installations and helicopter ports, as it
has done on the Paracel and Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. This would
enable China to gather intelligence on the activities of Japanese and American
forces in Okinawa and the Sakishima Islands close to Taiwan and the Senkakus.

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AJISS-Commentary
The Association of Japanese Institutes of Strategic Studies

Indeed, the Senkakus are only 420 kilometers (about 233 miles) away from themain U.S. bases in Okinawa. Chinese control of the Senkakus would thus posea serious security threat to the region.
Chinese control of the Senkakus also would weaken Japan’s front line ofdefense. In addition, the Strait of Taiwan is important to the United States in its
defense of Taiwan. Consequently, the southwest islands chain is critical to both
China and the Japanese-U.S. alliance, and whether the Japanese are able tocontinue to control the Senkakus will affect the security of the Western Pacificregion.
The Chinese navy’s activities take the form of creeping expansionism.
Recently, seven ships in its North Sea Fleet entered the Western Pacificfollowing their usual course through the international strait between the mainisland of Okinawa and Miyakojima but returned through the contiguous zone (the12-mile zone adjoining Japan’s 12-mile territorial waters) between the SakishimaIslands, Japan’s southwestmost territory (i.e., the zone between Iriomotejima
and Yonagunijima). Except for the zone around the Senkakus, this was the firsttime that Chinese naval ships entered the contiguous zone of Japan’s southwest
islands. Sailing between Japanese islands is another one of China’s provocative
and unfriendly acts.
China’s tactics obviously are intended to intimidate, by bringing its naval
force closer to its territory, in the hope that Japan will surrender. China
dispatches coast guard ships, surveillance ships, and fishing boats, all of which
frequently violate the islands’ territorial waters. Besides, it also sends naval ships,although they stay outside of their contiguous zone. By contrast, Japan deploys
only coast guard ships to patrol the areas and presses Chinese ships to steer
clear of them, hoping that its self-restraint will help stabilize Tokyo-Beijingrelations. Japan should not provoke China, but it should stand firm on the issue.
In addition, China is frustrated by the endurance of Japanese-U.S.
relations. Indeed, in the last few years U.S. government officials have repeatedly
stressed that its security treaty with Japan extends to the defense of theSenkakus. Nonetheless, China is hoping that it can drive a wedge between
Tokyo and Washington.

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AJISS-Commentary
The Association of Japanese Institutes of Strategic Studies

After November 8 Xi Jinping will become China’s new leader, and thespeculation is that he will be tougher on Japan than his predecessor, Hu Jintao,
has been. Indeed, China believes that Japan will capitulate under its pressure.
But the Japanese government should stand firm against China’s unreasonableclaims and should invite Beijing to join it in an appeal to the International Court ofJustice for a legal settlement of the islands.

Dr. Masashi Nishihara is the President of the Research Institute for Peace andSecurity (RIPS).

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