China Withdraws Buoy from Japan's EEZ Near Senkaku Islands: Reports
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Synopsis
Japan Coast Guard confirms removal of a Chinese buoy from its Exclusive Economic Zone, which had been present since July 2023. The buoy's removal may indicate a possible improvement in Japan-China relations amid ongoing territorial disputes over the Senkaku Islands.
Key Takeaways
- Chinese buoy removed from Japan's EEZ.
- Tension remains in Senkaku waters with Chinese vessels.
- The territorial dispute involves Japan, China, and Taiwan.
- Senkaku Islands are strategically significant.
- Japan seeks to strengthen relations with China.
Tokyo, Feb 12 (NationPress) The Japan Coast Guard (JCG) confirmed on Wednesday that a Chinese buoy previously located in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) has been removed. The buoy had been present in the region since July 2023, despite repeated requests from the Japanese government for its removal and advisories issued to vessels operating in the vicinity.
On Tuesday, coast guard officials noted that the buoy was detected in waters to the northwest of Okinawa Prefecture's Senkaku Islands, situated in southern Japan.
Nonetheless, tension persists in the waters surrounding the Senkaku, with reports indicating the presence of Chinese Coast Guard vessels near the uninhabited islands for a record 353 days last year. On Wednesday, the Japan Coast Guard reported that four Chinese government vessels had briefly entered Japanese territorial waters around the Senkaku, as reported by the Japan Times.
The territorial dispute over the Senkaku Islands involves Japan, China, and Taiwan and has been ongoing for several decades. This group of small, uninhabited islets and rocks in the East China Sea is administered by Japan, known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan, the Diaoyu Islands in China, and the Diaoyutai Islands in Taiwan.
These islands hold strategic importance due to their proximity to vital shipping lanes, abundant fishing grounds, and potential oil reserves. They have also become a proxy battleground in the escalating Sino-US rivalry for influence in the Indo-Pacific, with Japan being a crucial ally of the US.
Japan has consistently asserted that there has never been any agreement with China to postpone discussions regarding the Senkaku Islands.
The claim that such an agreement exists directly contradicts China's actions aimed at altering the status quo through coercion or force. In 1992, China enacted the Law on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone, clearly defining its claim over the islands as part of Chinese territory. Since 2008, there have been repeated incursions by Chinese government ships into the waters surrounding the Senkaku Islands, the Japanese Foreign Ministry asserts.
Recently, relations between China and Japan have soured due to territorial disputes concerning the Senkaku Islands. However, the removal of the contentious buoy may suggest a potential thaw in bilateral relations.
Last year, Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi visited Beijing, engaging in discussions with his counterpart Wang Yi and other Chinese officials on various issues. Reports from Japanese media indicate that Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is planning a visit to China later this year.
The current Japanese administration aims to strengthen its relationship and foster trust with China. For China, it is crucial to improve relations with Japan to counterbalance US influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
