The patrols along with the detention and
release of a japanese academic were
recently accused by china stealing state
secrets, showing how the main dispute
between the two neighbors remains
unresolved even as they openly tap a
heated relationship. While it's unclear what prompted the
increase in maritime attacks Beijing has
long asked tokyo to formally recognize
the dispute over the small uninhabited
islands known as the Senkaku in Japan
and the Daiu in china.
Former Japanese prime minister Yoshihiko Nota decision in 2012 to buy several
islands sparked a wave of anti-japanese
demonstrations and boycotts and led
beijing to step up maritime patrols. China's foreign ministry in beijing did
not respond to a request for comment on
thursday. China argues that the islands located
north of taiwan and surrounded by
potential natural gas deposits are part
of its historic territory that should be
returned to japan's colonial possessions
after world war II.
Shinzo Abe has spent much of his tenure
trying to man relations with china while
maintaining tokyo's post-war alliance
with washington. That effort has been tested in recent
months by japanese officials defense of
peaceful protests in Hong Kong and Tokyo's move to effectively exclude
huawei technologies company from
government contracts. The increased maritime patrols make Shinzo Abe's balancing act more
difficult during his visit to china.
At least more than 14 japanese citizens
have been detained in china since 2015. According to japan's foreign ministry
five have since been released while
another nine remain in custody under
accusations of violating national
security laws. Fisheries cooperatives in okinawa
prefecture where the islands are located
have complained about being forced away
from waters due to chinese patrols while
right-wing politicians have encouraged
japan government to take a hard line
with china in the territorial dispute.
China is engaging in unilateral and
coercive attempts to change the status
quo based on its own assertions
incompatible with the existing
international order and has been
expanding and intensifying its military
activities in maritime and aerial
domains, the japanese defense ministry
said in an annual policy paper published
in september.
Japan has placed its navy on an
increasingly crowded battlefield in the
south china sea with a joint exercise
involving one of its largest warships. Yasukazu Tanaka the amphibious rapid
deployment brigade admitted to the south
china morning post that the ship can
accommodate air and sea transport so
there is a high possibility for us to
carry out amphibious operations. China has the biggest claim to the south
china sea but the U.S and other naval
forces have been selling close to
beijing occupied islands upsetting their
rivals.
