Japan, China, Taiwan, never ending war on China seas territorial disputes

"Japan's prime minister said the national government is considering purchasing a set of islets, the Senkaku islands in Japanese and the Diaoyu in Chinese, islands at the center of a territorial dispute between Tokyo and Beijing, a move that could further strain ties between Asia's two largest economies. The move by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's government to weigh nationalizing the privately owned property is the latest salvo in a long-standing diplomatic stand-off with China, which also claims sovereignty over the Japanese-administered islands... "An official at the prime minister's office confirmed the central government is in talks with Tokyo and hasn't ruled out an outright purchase of the islands [Senkaku, Diaoyu]. "There is engagement between the prime minister's office and Gov. Ishihara," said the Japanese official, who declined to be named." (End of quotes)

Has Japan the capacity to handle what it is stirring right now? The answer is no. Behind Japanese government move, helped by the conservative Governor Ishihara, is there the perception that this move could endanger peace and security in the China seas? Years after years, we witness the appearance of a more " resilient " and forceful militarized Japan. 

As seen with its interaction overseas with PKO missions since late 20th century and now (Cambodia, Golan Heights, Mozambique, East Timor) and assistance (Djibouti) by the Coast Guards, by the JSDF, Ground, Maritime, and the JP Air Force for transportation. Last year, the JSDF were very instrumental helping the 3/11 victims of the quake and the tsunami. The JSDF of Tohoku military units came to rescue Fukushima after the nuclear accident. 

Does the public perceive it? Yes and if the elder do not like it, those who did not the WW2 are reminded by moves of neo-conservatives and right wing groups. And for the younger generation, scotched to their mobile screens, we can see lots of Manga, movies, novels aiming at remobilizing the nationalist conscience. Again I noticed recently this trend with films which depicts the heroism of the Japanese forces or Coast Guards against evil forces or stane creatures coming from the seas... 

How will China answer? Hard to predict, the Dragon is busy with its own inland policies but I know that Beijing won't ever give up any claim on sovereignty. Shock therapy again. One known device of the psychological governance...

What do the hard-liners say in Japan? After World War II Japan renounced claims to a number of territories and islands including Taiwan in the 1951 Treaty of San Francisco. But under the treaty the Nansei Shoto islands came under US trusteeship and were then returned to Japan in 1971, under the Okinawa reversion deal. Japan says that China raised no objections to the San Francisco deal. And it says that it is only since the 1970s, when the issue of oil resources in the area emerged, that Chinese and Taiwanese authorities began pressing their claims.

Several incidents happened between Japanese and Chinese fishing boats. China says being the owner of the islands (apparently it is inaccurate since a Japanese owner has been identified) and therefore started fishing, at one serious incident the Japanese Coast Guard took a Chinese fishing boat into custody for trespassing and also for violent navigation. After a few days to a week, the Japanese government released the crew.

Now Tokyo wants to buy the islands and integrate those as Japanese public domain.

(Images: agencies, otaku-streamers)