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© 2012 AFPJapan summons China envoy after patrol boats seen near isles
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© 2012 AFP
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caffeinebuzz
While I'm not a huge fan of China's actions recently, it's also hard to take Japanese arguments and claims seriously when it engages in the same provocative action well outside its territory.
Tom Webb
Let the Tokyo guv buy the islands and populate it. Lot harder to argue about territorial issues when people are living on it. I don't believe the JP government will ever buy out the landowners.
OssanAmerica
Marion, the Ryuku Kingdom does not exist. Okinawa is a Japanese prefecture, just like Idaho is a US State.
nandakandamanda
Just read an article in the People's Daily suggesting that by irritating Japan over these islands, China hopes to bring themselves closer to Taiwan as she thinks they have may have a common cause particularly there buy also with other islands in the seas east and south of China.
tmarie
Can we drop the whole "historical" right crap? If we want to go by that, then give Okinawa back to the Ryukyu, give Hokkaido back to the Ainu, Oz back the Aborigines, North America back to the first nations... Japan wants to go by historical ownership when it suits then and then wants to ignore it when it doesn't.
I was thinking about this today and well, China is indeed making land grabs but how is this any different than what any major nation/empire has been for centuries? We like to think we're all grown up and more civilized than people were back then but we aren't. China probably will attack if not given what it wants and well, is Japan good enough to defend itself without the US? Nope. So shut up and either accept it or start prepping for a battle which most of us can agree on, Japan won't win.
just-a-bigguy
Why didnt Japan summons the Russian envoy by flying Tupolev bombers over Kuriles? Obviously the Chinese government is being cowardice by sending a few patrol boats! Japan has released the trawler cpatain two years ago and that means the Japanese laws void at high sea!
sfjp330
In 1971, an agreed minute to the Okinawa Reversion Treaty defines the boundaries of the Ryukyu Islands and the Daito islands "as designated under" USCAR 27. The latitude and longitude boundaries set forth in the Agreed Minute appear to include the Senkakus (Diaoyus); this was acknowledged by the Chinese government and by supporters of China's claims, who testified in the Okinawa Reversion Treaty hearings before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. I guess Chinese have amnesia.
tensaisg@yahoo.com
japanese cant attack as per the agreement they signed with US. they can only defend.
nandakandamanda
Note: for 'buy also', please read 'but also' above. Sorry!
OssanAmerica
"I have to say this, now you know how we feel. Your coast guard vessels entered our waters a lot closer than 12 miles and ignored the demands of our government to get out."
Cletus, your own government admitted thatthey could not keep the vessel out of those waters. Furthermore it was a JCG operated escort ship for the research whaling fleet, not a "patrol ship" or cutter whiich is armed. Try to keep the facts in perspective. This isn't about whales.
tmarie
No it isn't. It is about a bunch of rocks in the middle of nowhere that no one cares to inhabit. I'll pick living creatures over the damn rocks anyway when it comes to importance.
nandakandamanda
tmarie, no it isn't. It's about rich marine resources, both fishy and vegetable, and about minerals, the oil and gas kind under the sea bed. It's about extending your sovereignty over the sea for 200 kms in all directions, and all that lies within, and about being able to build a forward attack base to protect your submarine and surface vessel movements. China will take what is not defended, as you said above, and all the possibilities that go with it.
Marion Wm Steele
Japan is breeding a scab on its nose and I feel China is at the end of their patience - the Senkakus Islands belonged to the Kingdom of the Ryukyus. No way has Greedy Japan hs anything to say and further bickering and Japan will be feeling the ire of the Chinese and this time China will be the stronger of the two. Frankly, King Sho had warmer feeling for China than they did for Japan.
gelendestrasse
I agree with the theory that the mainland Chinese are trying to curry favor with Taiway by playing this dispute up. It's also along the lines of trying to whip up some nationalism to try to avoid more painful topics like the lack of liberty, the pollution, or the corruption that plague China. Yep, when you're feeling down it's always pleasant to annoy Japan.
tmarie
Marion, the Ryuku Kingdom does not exist. Okinawa is a Japanese prefecture, just like Idaho is a US State.
As I said, stop playing the history card when you want and not when you don't want to. Give Okinawa back to the Ryukyu and they get this island. Since that IS what it was if you really want to go by historical events.
nigelboy
.
There was a governer candidate, I believe, who ran for office based on that platform in Okinawa several years ago. I think he got like a few hundred votes.
Tiger_In_The_Hermitage
These islands are right next to Taiwan! Are we sure we own them? Studying Asian history in both Kyoto University and UC Berkley, I think we need to revisit history from day one when records are kept not just the Japan - US treaties, this might actually help defuse the tension.
mrmalice
it's just a game of prancing around, no major power will risk going all out against another these days, the situation is too complicated, the consequences of direct action from one power to another are just too big , no one , and i mean no one knows where it would end, so it won't happen unless you get actual true fanatics at the helm. Basically it still comes down to gorillas pounding the ground (i know how fond the chinese govt is about relating to darwinian theories but i need to) and that's all it is. You make noise, i make more, let's scare the herd , or flock, or whatever you call it, the alphamale is the alphabody, that's all it is, everything is the same, all the time, everything. Dont be impressed, but don't be too unimpressed either. I don't think any O vert action will be taken
tmarie
Nandak, indeed it is but I'd say it is more a pride thing than anything.
tmarie
So if Tokyo can't be bothered to listen to him, why should China bother to listen to Japan?
nigelboy
I don't know if the above post was addressed to me but it's actually the civilian population of Okinawa that didn't listen to this candidate whose platform was the independence of Okinawa. (6,220 votes 0.93% in 2006)
Secondly, China listens to nobody anyways.
tmarie
Okinawans don't want to leave Japan as they know they can't make it on their own. Thing is though, if Japan doesn't give the islands back, they can take all the historical crap they spout and shove it up their behinds.
YuriOtani
tmarie so very true and if given a chance China would invade Okinawa. My guess is they would either deport or murder everyone on these islands. What is a million or so people to China?
BurakuminDes, Japan is allowed to defend herself from Chinese attacked. A Chinese invasion force is a hostile act. Be it "fishermen" or armed troops, the Chinese need to be prevented at all costs from landing on Okinawa.
tmarie
Lots of assumptions on your part Yuri. Then again, doesn't seem any different than what the Japanese did now does it?
YuriOtani
tmarie, you are assuming the Chinese own the islands of Okinawa. The people of Okinawa do not want to be part of China! You need to do your homework, the same "logic" that says these islands are part of China allows the entire Okinawa and Japan itself to be part of China. Remember the first country to invade was China of Japan.
tmarie
Thumbs down for stating that Okinawa should be given back to the historical owners? Haha! I guess you don't agree with Japan then on the cries of these islands either.
YuriOtani
tmarie, me and my family have lived on Okinawa for hundreds and probably thousands of years. We do not want to be part of China or America. Okinawa is too small for a country and too large for an insane asylum! It would be nice to have more local autonomy within Japan but no more. No more special "Okinawa only laws" which are against the Constitution.
Bob Sneider
China approaches islands that are literally right next to the country, angering Japanese sitting thousands of miles away.
OssanAmerica
What same provocative actions well outside it's territory are you refering to? Last I checked, all of Asia has been turning to the United States for help because of provacative actions by China, not by Japan.
OssanAmerica
Could you provide sustantiation of this statement? US strategic policy in Asia currently focuses on not allowing China to fulfill it's territorial expansion agenda for the pupose of bring it's "blue water navy" out past the island Asian nations.
Cletus
Farmboy
Yes Japan has such a good claim even the US doesnt agree that they have the better claim to the islands..... oops
Cletus
Farmboy
Actually it has everything to do with Japans claim and they have (the US state department) said as much. That while they support Japans administration of the islands that they believe China's claim holds more weight than Japan's.
Correct but when you come out with a statement like "The Japanese have a very good argument for ownership in this case" and Japans main supporter and ally says the opposite. Well!!!
CrazyJoe
**** the Red Chinese.
BurakuminDes
Looks like the Nationalist mob are salivating yet again and fantasizing about a Japan-China war - That.WON'T.Happen.
tmarie
No I don't. I think the Ryukyu "own" the islands - which is what I stated before. Japan can give the Ryukyu their islands back and the Ryukyu get these islands.
What part of this post did you not understand? Give Okinawa back to the Ryukyu and they get this island.
You need to "do your homework" when it comes to reading comprehension.
YuriOtani
How far from the islands were they? If within 12 miles how come they were not challenged by a warship? The Chinese would sink them. Thus turn about is fair play.