Japan 'extremely concerned' over China's activities around Senkakus as dispute marks 10-yr

The decision by Japan to put the China-claimed Senkaku Islands under its state control marked ten years on Sunday, September 11. According to the Japanese authorities, this comes amid China's ongoing activities surrounding the disputed islets, which has become a matter of concern over the years. The Senkaku Islands have caused problems for bilateral relations between both the nations since the Japanese government bought three of the islets, including the largest island Uotsuri, from a Japanese person ten years ago, The Mainichi reported. 

Why China & Japan are at loggerheads over Senkaku Islands?

According to reports, Beijing started claiming the Japan-governed uninhabited islets, located in the East China Sea, in the early 1970s. The Chinese administration started making claims after research by the United Nations suggested that there might be rich gas reserves around the islets. The Japanese government has also blamed Chinese coast guard ships for frequently breaching the Senkakus' exclusive economic zone since Tokyo opted to nationalise the islets on September 11, 2012. According to Japan's Coast Guard, Chinese vessels made as many as 40 incursion attempts in 2021 and at least 25 attempts so far in 2022. 

'Senkakus are undoubtedly part of Tokyo': Japanese FM Hayashi

Addressing a press conference on September 9, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno stated that the situation is still uncertain and that China's continued activities in the waters surrounding the islets are deeply concerning. Meanwhile, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi stated that the Senkakus are undoubtedly part of Tokyo which is also based on international law. "The situation affords no room for complacency, and we are deeply concerned by China's activities around islands," he added, as per The Mainichi - the Japanese daily. 

Japan's nationalisation of Senkakus triggered security concerns

It is worth mentioning here that the nationalisation of the Senkaku Islands by the Japanese government has triggered security concerns in the region for the last one decade. According to reports, concerns in Japan are growing over the possibility of an invasion attempt by the Chinese government after capturing democratically self-governed Taiwan. 

"We cannot let our guard down against China, given its apparent ambition to change the status quo by force. The nationalisation gave us a cue to seriously reconsider our defence policy with a high sense of urgency," a Japanese government official said, as per Kyodo News. The southern island prefecture of Okinawa in Japan has jurisdiction over the Senkakus. It is a geopolitically significant territory that continues to house the majority of US bases in the nation for more than 50 years after it was returned to Japan during US rule in 1972.

Image: AP