A seabird flies over the uninhabited islands in the East China Sea called Senkaku Islands by Japan and Diaoyu Islands by the Chinese Communist Party. (Sept. 2, 2012)
A Chinese Communist Party marine police ship entered the waters near the Senkaku Islands, which Japan claims as its sovereign, on Monday (Feb. 15), prompting protests from Tokyo. The Japanese government has also set up a countermeasures office to respond to the development of the situation after China passed the maritime police law.
According to Japanese media reports, two Chinese maritime police vessels entered the waters off Minami-kojima, which is part of the Senkaku Islands, at around 1:30 p.m. Monday. The Chinese vessels then approached Japanese fishing boats. In response, the Japanese Coast Guard warned the Chinese vessels to leave Japanese waters.
The Japanese government lodged a solemn protest with the Chinese government.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said Tokyo expressed “deep regret” over the incident. He accused the Chinese side of violating international law.
Kyodo News quoted sources in the Foreign Ministry as saying that in addition to protesting to the Chinese side, the Japanese government has set up an official residence countermeasures office in the crisis management center of the prime minister’s residence to collect and analyze information.
Two weeks ago, the Maritime Police Law of the People’s Republic of China came into effect. The law stipulates that in the face of “unlawful infringement” by foreign countries, the maritime police agencies have the right to take “all necessary measures, including the use of weapons, to stop the infringement and eliminate the danger”. Article 47 of the Marine Police Law also mentions that if a foreign vessel enters the waters under Chinese jurisdiction to engage in illegal production operations and refuses to obey the instructions of the Chinese marine police, the marine police personnel may use weapons.
When the law was passed by China’s National People’s Congress, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimichi Mogi called on China to ensure that the law allowing the Chinese maritime police to use force is consistent with relevant international law.
Japanese media reports say that Chinese ships have entered the disputed waters more frequently after the new law took effect. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato Katsushin said on Feb. 8 that Chinese maritime police vessels entered the waters near the Senkaku Islands for two consecutive days on Feb. 6 and 7.
In response to China’s frequent activities in the waters of the Senkaku Islands, the Japanese government plans to equip the Land Self-Defense Force with three medium and small transport ships in 2024 to deliver supplies to troops deployed in the remote southwestern islands. Kyodo News reports that this will be the first Time the Japanese government has provided such ships to the Land Self-Defense Force.
The dispute between China and Japan intensified after the Japanese government purchased the islands from private owners in 2012.
Speaking with their Japanese counterparts shortly after taking office, President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken reaffirmed the United States’ strong commitment to Japan’s defense under Article 5 of the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty and made clear that the treaty applies to the Senkaku Islands.
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