Japan protests over China's unapproved maritime survey

Neither China nor Korea recognize Japan's EEZ claims on Okinotorishima.

Okinotorishima, being a man made concrete islet, cannot be used as basis of an EEZ claim.

So the world is against Japan on this, Japan should back off.

The hypocrisy is funny considering how similar this looks to the reefs throughout the South China Sea that Beijing claims as demarcations of their EEZ.

Japan needs to increase the size of the island and have it manned. Perhaps an air field will change China's determination that it is not an island, as it would be a duplicate for the Chinese model in the South China sea.

Arguments exist from all sides re Okinotorishima being able to claim a 200 nautical mile EEZ.

The following is strong though.

".....Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, an island is "a naturally formed area of land, surrounded by water, which is above water at high tide". It states that "rocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone." Japan signed the Convention in 1983; the Convention came into force in 1994–1996 for Japan....."

Of course then you have the debate of -

Q: "When is a rock not a rock?"

A: " When a table-top sized rock is artificially fortified with steel, concrete, tetrapods and expanded to increase it's area".

The EEZ claim of Okinotorishima covers about 400,000 km2, greater than the total land mass of Japan. Quite a remarkable achievement for a few m2 rock to increase it's sovereign territory 40 billion(?) times.

And yes the world is awash with such claims - China's South Seas build & grab being the most notorious, but the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Arctic seas etc all have disputes by opposing countries going on.

While no one disputes Okinotorishima is Japan's sovereign territory and has a 12 nautical mile Territorial Zone, the topic of Okinotorishima's EEZ claim is largely bound to nationalist pride and military security with the US - namely to keep the Chinese out.

This topic is like a red rag to a bull for right wing elements in Japan, who believe Chinese artificial expansion of non-islands is evil, but Japan's is good.

This will confirmed by the click-on attention this post receives.

"conducting ocean research on the high seas." this excuse sounds like Japan's "whaling research" excuse.

When the top area of the land (coral reef) became under water at high tide, Japan would lose its EEZ someday. That's why they put many breakwater tetrapods around the top area to preventing from water erosion. It seems the top area would be under water someday due to climate change. Even if they piled up much land soil and concretes on the area, EEZ claim will be void because it became artificial island.

Japan is pathetic!

If Japan wants to protect its territory, then do whatever is necessary to do so.

Russia does!

China does!

Even Korea does!!

I read comments above about international, the UN, etc. etc.

Does China take any of that into consideration when they aggressively claim territory in the South China Sea and build huge artificial islands????

Nope!!

Japan, if you are serious, forget the law and diplomacy!!! Do whatever is necessary to defend the territory you claim and occupy!!

Otherwise, you only have yourself to blame when the inevitable happens!!

Sorry, but there is no middle ground here!! And with China, in particular, they have no fear of international law, diplomacy, and niceties!! They will take what they want and will make no apologies!!!

This is not about warmongering, its just realpolitik!!

zones2 - so it appears that what you're suggesting then, is it's better for advanced intelligent nations to follow the "Do-whatever-they-want" attitude of certain development-aggressive countries.

Don't heed international laws and guidelines - just play their game and do what you want. That'll show 'em.

History is splattered with such approaches.

As weak and ineffectual as some international laws, treaties etc are, to abandon such would be fanning free for alls - a dangerous outcome if ever there was.

Other less crazed methods should be pursued, esp dialogue, commercial pressures, sanctions etc.

East Asia has a number of volatile spots. I'm sure most ordinary citizens do not want an escalation into what-ever-it-takes.

So Samit Basu, considering your comment above, is it ok for China to conduct surveys around Socotra Rock?

Regrettably, China seems to be tracing the footsteps of the U.S., a role model exemplifying how to rule the world as a hegemon, just as Japan after the Meiji Restoration emulated everything Western but was ultimately crashed to pieces because it resembled the West too much, militarily, imperially and all. 

Maybe, China is not imitating the West but simply pursuing a China-first policy, based on traditional Sinocentrism, that has nothing to do with its current political system.

China, while recognizing Okinotori as Japanese territory, argues that it is a "rock" and not a base point

"Okinotori reef does not meet the basic requirements to be recognized as island," Lu said

Kettle calling pot black.

The reefs China turned into islands are artificial in their making.

While I am all in favour of a legal, rules based system, it can only work if all parties abide by its rulings. Where you have an aggressive, expansionist, rule breaking neighbour who does not, then you must act accordingly in relation to that neighbour (though you may continue to observe the rules in relations with all other observing nations) so in this case what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. Occupy it, and robustly enforce your economic claims vis a vis China while entering negotiations with Taiwan as an independent state and agree a mutually beneficial exploitation strategy for the overlapping EEZ areas.

Haha those who compare Japan's rule of law with Chinas expansion and artificial islands miles in size, weapons, large landing airfields, dozens of buildings, are dumb in their assessment and don't live in reality and facts.