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The US-Japan-China Mistrust Spiral and Okinotorishima

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 May 2025

Yukie Yoshikawa
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The southernmost island of the Japanese archipelago has been a source of contention between Japan and China since 2004, when Chinese officials started to refer to it as “rocks” not as an “island.” In international law, rocks cannot be a basis for claiming an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). After the Chinese challenge to its territorial right over Okinotorishima, Japanese officials reacted vigorously, notably Tokyo Governor Ishihara Shintaro, within whose jurisdiction Okinotorishima falls. Ishihara ordered installation of a 330 million yen radar system for surveillance and set up an address plate at the “island.” The two countries continue to dispute the issue.

Type
Research Article
Information
Asia-Pacific Journal , Volume 5 , Issue 10 , October 2007 , e8
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BYCreative Common License - NCCreative Common License - ND
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is unaltered and is properly cited. The written permission of Cambridge University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use or in order to create a derivative work.
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2007

References

Notes

[1] Ryoichi Hasegawa's website.

[2] Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport website [checked 10/11/2005].

[3] Ibid.

[4] Japan Maritime Science and Technology Center website [checked on 10/112005].

[5] “China's Argument on Japan Island Unacceptable: Fukuda”, Jiji Press, Apr 23, 2004.

[6] “Speck in the Ocean Meets Law of the Sea”, New York Times, Jan 21, 1988.

[7] “A Reef or a Rock? Question Puts Japan In a Hard Place; To Claim Disputed Waters, Charity Tries to Find Use For Okinotori Shima”, Wall Street Journal, Feb 16, 2005.

[8] Tadao Kuribayashi “The position of Okinotorishima in international law” in Nippon Foundation, Report on Promoting economic activities in Okinotorishima [checked on 10/22/2005].

[9] “Efforts continue to preserve, keep Japan's southernmost island”, Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec 4, 2004.

[10] “China research boats breach EEZ 11 times”, Yomiuri Shimbun, Mar 11, 2004.

[11] “Chinese navy ship spotted in Japan's EEZ waters”, Yomuiri Shimbun, Jul 8, 2004.

[12] “Tokyo calls Chinese surveys in Japanese economic zone ‘breach of trust‘”, Agence France Presse, Jul 13, 2004.

[13] “Chinese Ship Found Operating within Japanese EEZ”, Jiji Press, Dec 7, 2004.

[14] “Tokyo lodges complaint over China ship in EEZ”, Japan Times, Dec 9, 2004.

[15] “Chinese marine surveys raise hackles in Tokyo”, Mainichi Shimbun, Oct 23, 2004.

[16] “Pentagon announces plans to sell radars to Taiwan”, Financial Times, Apr 1, 2004.

[17] “US cautions of ”very large“ Chinese missile build-up opposite Taiwan”, Agence France Presse, Jan 15, 2004.

[18] “China's president voices opposition to U.S. arms sales to Taiwan in phone conversation with Bush”, Associated Press, Jul 30, 2004.

[19] “Japan will focus on Korea and China; New military policy is another break with pacifist tradition”, International Herald Tribune, Dec 11, 2004.

[20] “Israel and US in accord on arms sales”, New York Times, Aug 17, 2005.

[21] “China, Russia to hold joint military drills aimed at fighting terrorism”, Xinhua news agency, Aug 2, 2005.

[23] “Chinese warships remind Japanese of challenge on seas”, International Herald Tribune, Sept 12, 2005.

[24] “Japan voices clearest concern yet of China's ‘considerable threat‘”, Financial Times, Dec 23, 2005.

[25] “Chinese agency carries ”full text“ of 2006 defence white paper”, BBC, December 29, 2006.

[26] “Japan agency upgraded to Defence Ministry 9 January”, BBC, January 9, 2007.

[27] “United States criticizes Chinese antisatellite weapons test”, Associated Press, January 18, 2007.

[28] The International Institute for Strategic Studies, The Military Balance, 2007 edition, 2003, Oxford University Press, London.

[29] “China builds up strategic sea lanes”, Washington Times, January 18, 2005.

[30] Department of Defense, Active Duty Military personnel Strengths by regional Area and by Country, 2006 edition.

[31] “China says Okinotorishima a mere rock, not an island”, Yomiuri Shimbun, Apr 24, 2005.

[32] Nippon Foundation, Report on Utilization of Okinotorishima [checked on 10/22/2005].

[33] Ibid.

[34] Nippon Foundation, Report on Promoting economic activities in Okinotorishima [checked on 10/22/2005].

[35] Shintaro Ishihara's website [checked on 10/11/2005].

[36] “Boat returns after fishing near disputed Okinotori Island”, Kyodo News, Apr 19, 2005.

[37] “Japan plans to put lighthouse on disputed Pacific isle”, Kyodo News, Aug 24, 2005.

[38] “Japan to establish surveillance system on Okinotori Island”, British Broadcasting Corporation, May 16, 2005.

[39] “Japan sets up address plate on controversial reef in Pacific”, Xinhua News Agency, Jun 20, 2005.