In case of sovereignty infringement, measures such as ship inspection are possible
Japanese media “may be targeted for patrol boats and fishing boats”
The Japanese name is Senkaku Islands, and the Chinese name is Diaoyu. Reuters Yonhap News
Tensions are rising in Japan as China, which claims to have sovereignty over the Senkaku Islands (Chinese name Diaoyudao), which Japan effectively controls, enforces the “Marine Police Law” that allows the use of maritime weapons in its waters. “There is a possibility that the Japanese Maritime Security Agency patrol boats in charge of Senkaku security and the Japanese fishing boats operating in the vicinity are likely to be the targets for the use of weapons by the Chinese Coast Guard.” In the event of sovereignty infringement, China plans to enact the Maritime Police Act, which will allow its coastal police to take all measures to protect its sovereignty, such as using weapons and inspecting ships. Japan sees the Maritime Police Act as targeting the Senkaku Islands. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hua Chun-ying explained in a recent briefing, “The enactment of the Coast Guard Act is a normal legislative activity, and Diaoyudao and its annexed islands are China’s own territory.” Kenichi Sasaki, the captain of the patrol boat of the Ishigaki Maritime Security Agency in charge of the Senkaku area, said to the crew on the 21st, when the bill was passed, “the Chinese response may be different. “You have to keep the tension so that you can respond to whatever happens,” the newspaper said. In September 2012, Japan declared nationalization by purchasing three privately owned islands out of five uninhabited islands in the Senkaku Islands. Since then, China has confronted Japan by sending government ships to the waters around Senkaku as a means to destroy Japan’s effective dominance, and the conflict is becoming more frequent in recent years. At a press conference on the 29th, Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo said, “We will make every effort to monitor the perimeter and collect information,” and “I will keep an eye on the movement of (China) maritime police.” By Kim So-yeon, staff reporter [email protected]