By Micah McCartneyShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberChina and Japan have issued conflicting reports about a coast guard encounter early Tuesday near a disputed island chain in the East China Sea, against a backdrop of tensions between the neighbors.
Why It Matters
Known in Japan as the Senkakus and in China as the Diaoyus, the uninhabited islets are home to rich fishing grounds and are widely believed to contain significant natural gas and oil deposits. They have also been at the center of a territorial dispute since Tokyo nationalized them in 2012, with China stepping up patrols by its coast guard ships in response.
The reports come as Tokyo and Beijing continue to deteriorate over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's statement last month that a military blockade of Taiwan could necessitate military intervention under Japan's pacifist constitution. China, which claims self-ruled Taiwan is its territory, responded by warning of a "severe blow" and canceling Japan-bound flights.
Newsweek has reached out to Japan's Foreign Ministry and China's Defense Ministry via email with requests for comment.
What To Know
China's coast guard issued a statement saying a Japanese fishing boat had on Tuesday "illegally entered the territorial waters" Beijing claims around the largest of the islands. The Chinese side said it issued warnings and "took necessary control measures" to expel the vessel.
According to a Japanese coast guard account of events carried by local media, two Chinese coast guard patrol ships armed with autocannons had sailed within the 12 nautical mile (13.8-mile) territorial sea around the islet at around 2:30 a.m. local time while approaching the 9.7-ton fishing vessel and its two-person crew.
A Japanese patrol vessel broadcast radio warnings ordering the Chinese ships to leave the area. Both vessels withdrew to contiguous waters, a buffer outside of territorial waters shortly after 5 a.m., per the statement. Another two heavily armed Chinese coast guard cutters were already operating in this zone, according to the Japanese statement.
While Chinese coast guard ships have in recent years patrolled near the Senkakus almost daily, they enter the so-called territorial sea far less frequently.
...What People Are Saying
Chinese coast guard spokesperson Liu Dejun said, "Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands are China's inherent territory." He called on the Japanese side to" immediately cease all infringement and provocation activities in the waters."
The Japanese coast guard (JCG) said on its website: "The JCG will continue to respond calmly and resolutely in accordance with international and domestic laws without escalating the situation."
Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers said in a joint statement last month: "We reiterated our strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in particular by force or coercion, including in the East China Sea and the South China Sea."
What Happens Next
Chinese "escalation" in the East China Sea, including the Senkakus, was among the issues Takaichi raised with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their October 31 meeting on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea, according to a readout from Japan's Foreign Ministry.
The international legal status of the islands remains unresolved. While the United States does not take a position on the sovereignty matter, officials have repeatedly confirmed that the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty applies to Japanese nationals in the Senkakus.
Request Reprint & LicensingSubmit CorrectionView Editorial & AI Guidelines
Add Newsweek as a preferred source on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search.Recommended For You
WorldPhotos Show US Strategic Partner Training Military on Guam4 min read
U.S.Satellite Shows US Carrier Strike Group in Caribbean4 min read
Live BlogRussia-Ukraine Live—Putin Claims Pokrovsk as Trump Envoy Due at Kremlin2 min read
NewsTrump Threatens ‘Hell To Pay’ as Honduras Election Count Continues3 min read
WorldWho is Admiral Frank Bradley? Commander in Spotlight Over Venezuela Strike4 min read
NewsThree Migrants Fall From Border Wall in California: Report3 min readRelated Podcasts
Top Stories
NewsUkraine War Live Updates: Russia Says No ‘Compromise’ Peace Deal Reached2 min read
NewsDonald Trump Reacts to Tennessee Special Election Results4 min read
WorldDonald Trump’s Honduras Gamble Hangs in Balance as Election Results Turn4 min read
For MembersNewsUncommon Knowledge: What Europe Can Teach Trump about Immigration6 min read
NewsVideo of Hegseth Telling Military Not to Follow ‘Illegal Orders’ Resurfaces1 min read
NewsTrump Says All Pardons, Commutations Signed by Biden Autopen ‘Terminated’4 min readTrending
WeatherList of Schools Closed Tuesday as Snowstorm Hits4 min read
TennesseeTennessee Special Election Live Updates: Behn Teases Another Run After Losing to Van Epps2 min read
Winter StormWinter Storm Warning As 12 Inches of Snow To Hit: ‘Delay All Travel’3 min read
ViralCat Arrives at Vet for Neuter, Staff Not Ready for What’s in the Carrier3 min read
ImmigrationGreen Card Update: New Changes for Holders in December6 min readOpinion
OpinionRand Paul: My Proposal Will Improve Health Care and Lower Costs | Opinion4 min read
OpinionBridging the AI Velocity Gap | Opinion5 min read
OpinionPaving the Way Forward—It’s Time To Build the Roads and Bridges to America’s Next Golden Age | Opinion4 min read
OpinionHHS Official: How the Working Families Tax Cut Act Strengthens Medicaid for Most Vulnerable | Opinion4 min read
For MembersOpinionConventional Wisdom: Pope Visits Turkey and Lebanon Edition3 min read
