Stick and carrot : Japan tells China gas fields in E. China Sea may stretch to its EEZ

Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Shoichi Nakagawa
said Tuesday the Japanese government has told Chinese
officials that China's resource development in two gas
fields in the East China Sea may affect natural
resources in Japan's exclusive economic zone based on an
interim report on a Japanese government geophysical
survey.

Speaking at a press conference after a Cabinet meeting,
Nakagawa said the Japanese government has explained to
China the findings of the resource survey in the East
China Sea.

"We will definitely call on China to stop its (resources
development) work," he said, stressing Japan's stance is
based on the survey data.

The two gas fields, including the Chunxiao field, lie
several kilometers from what Tokyo claims is a median
line in the sea on the Chinese side.

China does not recognize the median line, and argues
that its economic waters stretch to a larger extent than
that designated by Japan.