politics

Japan, U.S. defense chiefs affirm Senkakus fall under security pact

26 Comments
By Reito Kaneko

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The Chinese probably need to encounter US forces patrolling the Senkaku Islands to take it seriously. If their "fishing boats", Coast Guard patrol ships and various aircraft are intercepted and escorted out of the area by US forces the Chinese will understand the US is serious and back off a notch.

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In order to secure the island, putting the Senkaku Islands under a protection agreement is an essential move. China is trying to grab Senkaku continuously. China is raising tensions across the region as part of its expansionary agenda. In such a scenario, it becomes important that the antics of China be monitored by the big countries of the world. The peace and stability of the entire region is threatened by China today. Everyone is watching China's aggression in South China Sea. In such a scenario, America's growing measures in this area will prove to be very important for the region's stability. At the same time, together, the United States and Japan will be able to monitor the shenanigans of China.

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My only concern is Austin's military background: army and logistics. The Indo-Pacific is covered by the Navy and Marine (except for the Korean Peninsula). 

If you have been following military developments the US Army is pursuing several new missile programs specifically aimed at sinking ships. One is the planned replacement for ATACMS, launched from an MLRS launcher. James Mattis order for the Army Reserve to divest of its amphibious ships and craft was immediately reversed upon his resignation and the Army immediately commenced multiple new amphibious assault ship and landing craft projects (the US Army has it's own fleet of ships and landing craft completely separate from the US Navy) The Army is looking at finding ways to project forces onto islands and from there shoot at enemy ships. They also want to be able to protect places like Guam, Hawaii and other shores facing maritime threats. One irony in this is that the Marines now desire smaller landing ships for a similar sort of mission and they are looking at and one of the Army's new landing ships is the mostly likely candidate for the Navy to also procure. The Army has been developing both the equipment and doctrine to allow them to unload RO/RO ships (Roll On, Roll Off vehicle carriers some of which are larger than WWII aircraft carriers) in the open ocean to Army landing craft for beach assault.

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Why are politicians fighting over a small island when we have a huge Corona virus problem???.

The surrounding waters have oil and fish, both of which China is desperately short of. The island could also be used to prevent the Chinese navy from getting past the first island chain and into blue water.

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Let's just pray that Biden won't sell out Japan for a cheap, Chinese deal for Wall Streets.

Spare us. Mr. Biden invited the de-facto Taiwanese ambassador to the US to his inauguration. It is the first time any US President has done so and the first time such a high Taiwanese diplomat attended a US Presidential inauguration. Comments such as yours are uninformed, blindly ideological trolling. Go vent your speen elsewhere.

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TARA TAN KITAOKAJan. 25  07:41 pm JST

Why are politicians fighting over a small island when we have a huge Corona virus problem???.

Good question. Why don't you ask Xi Jing Ping that question?

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Why are politicians fighting over a small island when we have a huge Corona virus problem???.

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KunchanToday  04:33 am JST

No sane country would ever wage a war with China over those tiny meaningless islands. The US will of course reassure everything written in their contracts but in the event of a Chinese attack, nothing will happen.

The largest U.S. military presence in Asia and gateway to all regional operations is Okinawa Prefecture. Has been since 1945. The Senkakus are part of Okinawa Prefecture. The probability that "nothing will happen" if China seizes the Senakus is absolutely Zero.

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What about Dokdo/Takeshima?

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Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi and his newly appointed U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin agreed Sunday the Senkaku Islands fall under the two allies' security treaty

Before making saber rattling, both sides should cool their heads, sit down and talk. For starters, how about an unofficial conference or symposium to discuss the relevant territorial issue from the perspectives of history and international law?

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No sane country would ever wage a war with China over those tiny meaningless islands. The US will of course reassure everything written in their contracts but in the event of a Chinese attack, nothing will happen.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

China is trespassing on the world's future Soon they will understand that the line they are crossing will only hang them...

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Defense spending ranking

US

China

India

Russia

Saudi Arabia

France

Germany

UK

Japan (less than 1% of GDP)

Korea

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China threatening for years n years n years , the chinese only rattled sabres and are no testing this new potus out, if biden has anyhting he will put chyna in its places real quick. But did you also read the flights at Taiwan by the chinese bombers recently. ? China is out of line and needs to be sorted out ! Not sure the CCP will let their lapdog biden be the one to do it though

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It makes sense, militarily, because having a Chinese military presence on Okinawa's flank sort of negates the defensive advantage of locating the bases there.

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How many countries have a common border with China that China doesn't have an issue with? The South China Sea is ridiculous - China arbitrarily claiming the 7-dash-line - claiming some ancient claim - I guess it might be possible to date the ink the maps they drew in the past 10 years - same with the Senkaku Islands - there were (no more) Chinese maps showing the Senkakus as Japan - do they have some ancient claim to Tasmania or Baffin Island? - Yes - likely the Senkakus are a worthless lump of rock - but it's symbolic - give an inch and they'll take a mile - recently authorizing use of weapons against opponents of what they "claim" is their territory - I hope before they use weapons they get international agreement of what they claim is their territory - we know what happens when a non-democracies claims lebensraum un-checked.

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I have a feeling this will end up being Japan having to contribute more to the U.S.-Japan alliance. China is effectively draining Japan's resources.

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Japan goes through the same process with each administration change in America to determine if there is a change or if the article 5 still includes the Senkaku's. Sadly it is necessary due to the way each president views the situation and the chances that one may view it differently.

This is a reflection on the reliability of American policies and the fact they can be altered with the stroke of a pen depending on the President.

One of Trumps legacies i guess. Not a good legacy.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

For the moment all words, part of the diplomatic dance at the beginning of every US administration. Actions speak louder than words, we will see how they act.

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I think we will, also, see an end to Trump's efforts to monetize the American military presence in the Far East.

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Hopefully the alliance will be upgraded to meet/countervail emerging challenges in the region.

My only concern is Austin's military background: army and logistics. The Indo-Pacific is covered by the Navy and Marine (except for the Korean Peninsula). Of course I fully know the credentials for the top at Pentagon never have to include military profiles at all.

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Finally, a chance at a US administration that might be willing to stand up to the dictatorships that run China, Russia, North Korea, et al. I do not have high hopes, but at least, unlike Trump, who worshipped and envied commie dictators like Xi, Putin, and Kim-fat, there is the slim possibility that America's current leadership will not bow down to such forces as readily as the Turmpettes...

You’re a little confused. This is the kind of talk we’ve been listening for decades. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think it was Biden that said: “ North Korea will be met with fire, fury and frankly power the likes of which this world has never seen before “. Far from your typical politician. One of the many reasons why half the country voted in that person. Glad Biden won but let’s stop pretending everything’s gonna be perfect from now on.

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Let's just pray that Biden won't sell out Japan for a cheap, Chinese deal for Wall Streets.

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making the teams, the gathering before the war. the worst is that people finance the war via their taxes

-4 ( +7 / -11 )

Finally, a chance at a US administration that might be willing to stand up to the dictatorships that run China, Russia, North Korea, et al. I do not have high hopes, but at least, unlike Trump, who worshipped and envied commie dictators like Xi, Putin, and Kim-fat, there is the slim possibility that America's current leadership will not bow down to such forces as readily as the Turmpettes...

-6 ( +13 / -19 )

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