Japan to send letter to China's president, protesting flag incident

I hope Noda has better luck getting this letter delivered than he did the one to South Korea.

Gemba was right in his statement (earlier today on NHK) that such a thing could never happen in Japan. In Tokyo, ambassadors of foreign countries are assigned armed police bodyguards by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and would definitely intervene if two or more cars attempted to block a diplomat's car on a public street.

China wants to be treated with respect around the world?? Time for the Chinese to grow up! For shame!!

"China wants to be treated with respect around the world??"

Really? China first and foremost wants to secure as many natural resources as it possibly can (a la CNOOC buying Nexen and SINOPEC getting into a project in Texas, among others). Respect is far down on the list of needs.

I don't know about that can never happen in Japan. Wasn't it last year when a bunch of Japanese attacked a bus full of Chinese tourist in Tokyo?

There's a huge difference between a coach full of tourists and a ambassadors car with regards to protecting it.

Japan's national flag was the sole target, not the ambassador or even his car. The protesters simply took away the flag and did not try to harm anyone or damage the car.

This continued childish behavior on both sides is “very regrettable”...

Or maybe post on Chinese President Hu Jintao's Facebook page?

which belongs to Taiwan before war-time

Ummmm... wait a minute

Who did Noda send the letter to?

Before War time, Taiwan was a part of China. Geo boundaries change as is everything so global citizenship is much more fruitful....

Couldn't Gemba just send an e-mail?

He declined to elaborate on the contents, but said it was a good opportunity to address ties that have soured over the island dispute.

That isn't a protest letter, it is a reconciliation letter.

Seems not to effect the Chinese that work at our place, Chensan, Yoosan, and Rhoosan,, HEY no problema as long as they are making that JAPANESE YEN!!!

It's ironic that this happened to Niwa, who is about to return after being fired basically for being too much of a Sino-phile for the Japanese government to stomach.

no matter from historical perspective or geographical perspective, launch google map, you would see it's so close to Taiwan

Close it may be, but these islands are even closer to Yonaguni, the westernmost island in Okinawa.

Now whether the Japanese takeover of Okinawa in 1609 islegitimate or not is another question. But if we're going by geographical proximity, Yonaguni wins, and for better or worse, Yonaguni and Okinawa are part of Japan today.

The question is, who does Taiwan belong to? Its de-facto independence is not recognized by any other country, and not even claimed by Taiwan. It's like a dispute over who owns Berkeley, California, which is both in the state of California and the country of the United States. That said, diplomats are protected by international agreements and countries that disregard them --- covertly or overtly --- risk being ostracized.

Thon - you're raising the point Chinese nationalists flippantly make: the islands are close to Okinawa, historically a tribute paying vassal state of China (like Korea was), which hence makes it occupied Chinese territory.

Fact is that the whole claim around the Senkakus isn't based in law, it is based on history, and a sense of historical injustice. And when you make that your criteria for drawing borders, China is perpetually going to be claiming every thing it has a border with.

Vitruoso - Taiwan is claimed by two countries, both of which identify Taiwan as one of the many states of greater China. PRC is the government that most nations recognize, but it does not control Taiwan. The ROC government controls Taiwan, but claims control of all China, and is only recognized by a handful of small countries now. However, the constitution of ROC maintains that Taiwan is just one part of greater China, which the government in Taipei, based on UN supervised elections held across China in 1947, claims to be the sole democratic legitimate representative of.

Japan recognizes PRC, not ROC. Hence, from a Japanese perspective, Taiwan is part of PRC.

efisher.

Might I suggest to step away from the keyboard and go outside once in a while. Lots of Tourism and Trade going on between SK, China and Japan.

Strange that all the Japanese Tourists going to Sk don't feel that "HEAT". Why because it only exists in a rather small portion of the population in all 3 countries.

Japan is taking the right steps here and as was said by other posters the riots go deeper and are merely an outlet for Chinese that feel left out by their own government. Remember Tiananmen Square and how that protest was handled.

efisher.

Sure surprisingly the Korean Town in Tokyo is getting a lot of immigrants who want to live among those "aggressive" Japanese, very bustling area. Maybe a visit to Japan might help clear things up for you.

Considering that Koreans are the biggest group of Immigrants, followed by the Chinese.

Even I as a European can tell a Korean from a Japanese apart, not that tough.

Korean Town in Tokyo is getting a lot of immigrants

Korea has changed and Japan has changed. Maybe, you will find a large Japanese Town in Seoul some day.

all 3 countries are in an election year and are all trying to pander to nationalism instead of considering what really needs to be done at home

PSmash,

True enough, but all three stooges lack severely in common sense & once they have their own all wound up, can they maintain control, truth is it only takes a few to get things going & then the majority will simply fall in line(EVEN if they disagree).......

Personally I havent packed a bag so to speak but it is disconcerting watching these imbesciles carry on, & if the idiot who took the flag off the ambassadors car had done a little more it cud be a LOT more agitated even today, it will only take a few idiots to really escalate this BS!

Geez Noda, I'll take your letter.

@smithinjapan "ambassador, ...this man has done more to try and mend ties than any ambassador likely to succeed him will." Very much agreed Ambassador U. Niwa, bound to be fired & replaced, is one of few who reads & understands the situation & ( serious ) consequences.

The scene Chinese see Japanese national flag just like Jewish see Nazi flag.

Lots of Tourism and Trade going on between SK, China and Japan.

Strange that all the Japanese Tourists going to Sk don't feel that "HEAT". Why because it only exists in a rather small portion of the population in all 3 countries.

No conflict has been started by ordinary people who tend to deal with others on a personal basis, hence the relative amity of different people living together. Only politicians begin wars.

That is the problem. Politicians start the war but it has to be fought by ordinary citizens/people. Just wish the ordinary people could stay home and let the politicians fight it out among themselves.

Imagine there was a call to war and no-one showed up.

Politicians start the war but it has to be fought by ordinary citizens/people.

The biggest players are in Washington.

This has become a sweet and sour chicken affair, though hopefully no kamikaze nut comes with that letter :P

It's a mixture of nationalism, populism, drawing the attention off to some of China's more worrying internal questions and besides of this strategic importance.

This has become a sweet and sour chicken affair, though hopefully no kamikaze nut comes with that letter :P

Wow!!! Japan nowadays were so fond of sending letter to President Lee and President Hu. But Lee and Hu are not interested nor have time to read those nonesense letter.

I don't know about that can never happen in Japan. Wasn't it last year when a bunch of Japanese attacked a bus full of Chinese tourist in Tokyo?

Would you like to pay the huge cost that would incur on our police? There's a huge difference between a coach full of tourists and a ambassadors car with regards to protecting it.

Would you like to pay the huge cost that would incur on our police? There's a huge difference between a coach full of tourists and a ambassadors car with regards to protecting it.

Ummm - a few dimwits ripped a silly rag/flag off a car. Are you seriously saying that is a major incident compared to an assault on tourists?

Japan, China, Korea, they ALL lie to their own, stir the pots, send lots of letter(LOL!), BS left right & centre..............................

Point blank is its a mess there is balme to be shared all round, what an un believeable waste!

I am glad the YANKS are in Japan, but still, this is getting scary, the idiots who run the 3 countries & the too many fools that live in each of these 3 might eventually to to us foreign type what 3/11 DIDNT DO & thats get us to leave Japan........

I hope it doesnt come to that & I have seen for a LONG time the possibility but its sad & scary to see that it might really be starting to happen, lets hope I am wrong, but it might be prudent to at least be thinking about exit strategies folks!

North east asia is looking more like the middle east everyday

It is because people there are civilized and not as aggressive as the Japanese. Moreover, people just can't easily tell a Japanese from Korean.

And the very same 'aggressive Japanese' have been very civil and kind to me and my young family despite being gaijin. With that comment I very much doubt you've been to Japan. You have a small majority who will act in a aggressive way but that can be said for any country. The majority though are civil and well mannered.

“I believe that we must exchange opinions now on the situation of Japan-China relations, on the situation of the region as a whole, including the Korean peninsula, as well as the global situation,”

Perhaps not sending them into a fury in the first place would be a good idea, instead of provoking them and then backing off when the threat of what they can do becomes clear. You'll notice they're a lot more keen to make amends with China than they are with SK, which is a measure of political and economic clout.

As for the Chinese ripping the flag off the car, pure childishness. I doubt they were actually targeting the ambassador, as suggested earlier, but if they were then that's even worse -- this man has done more to try and mend ties than any ambassador likely to succeed him will.

It's time to stop this pre-election political posturing involving island disputes and get back to the REAL issues, for all the nations. This bickering is doing no one any good.

Hikozaemon, the people of the Ryukyu Islands do NOT want to be part of either China! There was arbitration about who would get the islands and US Grant picked Japan. Both sides agreed to this process and thus it was not by force that the islands were given to Japan.

So I see that the Chinese are raising the level of violence. They will start with the Flag and work their way towards injury and death. This was a warning sent to Japan not to resist.

Many Japanese have been brainwashed by the propaganda from western media. Actually, the Chinese government is suppressing rather than provoking the anti-Japan sentiment there. Many Japanese are self-centered and always try to justify their claim without consideration for other countries' concerns. Go to China and Korea, and the Japanese would feel the heat.

North east asia is looking more like the middle east everyday

Because USA has withdrawn from middle east and entered into Asia now.

The disputed island belongs to Taiwan island definitely, no matter from historical perspective or geographical perspective, launch google map, you would see it's so close to Taiwan, try to imgine how possible it is that Taiwan doesn't find the island and rule it? Japan just got it from America's hand privately, which belongs to Taiwan before war-time.

Strange that all the Japanese Tourists going to Sk don't feel that "HEAT"

It is because people there are civilized and not as aggressive as the Japanese. Moreover, people just can't easily tell a Japanese from Korean.

Japan should understand that peace can only prevail if Japan turnover the island Dioayu to the rightful owner China.