Protecting the Senkaku Islands in this way
From: Masaomi Ise
We cannot expect the U.S. military to be deployed to defend the Senkakus.
Even so, there are many ways to protect the Senkakus by ourselves.
- “The U.S. military will not fight China in the Senkakus.
What does “the U.S. military will not fight China in the Senkakus” mean?
This is the headline of the last chapter of military critic Jun Kitamura’s recent book [Kitamura et al.
When he asserts thus,
“Well, until now, President Biden and a number of other U.S. government officials have said that the Senkaku Islands are not a part of the U.S.-Japan alliance.
Senkaku Islands are covered by Article 5 of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty.
Most of you are probably wondering, “What?
However, the trick is this.
The secret is in the words “subject to Article 5 of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty.
Let’s look at the original text of Article 5.
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Article 5
Each of the Contracting Parties (Ise Note: Japan and the United States)
In the territory under the administration of the State of Japan,
(1) An armed attack against either of the Parties (Japan and the United States) in the territory under the control of Japan
(1) Each State Party (Japan and the United States) acknowledges that an armed attack against either of them in the territory under the administration of Japan would endanger the peace and security of Japan,
To act to deal with common dangers in accordance with the constitutional provisions and procedures of their respective countries
Declares that it will act to deal with the common danger in accordance with its own constitutional provisions and procedures.
[Ministry of Foreign Affairs]
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What does “addressing common dangers” mean?
not only to actually fight.
Kitamura says
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The U.S. military … in its heart of hearts,
On a tiny island like the Senkakus,
It is an island that is not its own territory,
It is unlikely that they would be prepared to fight an all-out war to protect it,
It’s impossible to fight an all-out war to protect it.
…….or support it with information,
…or supply missiles to the Japanese side,
It would be a logistical support. [Kitamura, p225].
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Even logistical support in the form of intelligence support,
the text of the treaty can be regarded as sufficiently “dealing with common dangers.
the article can be regarded as “dealing with a common danger”.
If a missile from a certain country fell on a major city in Japan and caused a great number of casualties, it would be considered to have “dealt with a common danger,
If a certain country’s missile fell on a Japanese metropolis and caused heavy casualties, the U.S. would not fight with us,
If the U.S. does not fight alongside Japan, our credibility as an ally will be questioned,
But if a small uninhabited island, with almost no facilities, is taken, the U.S. military would not be deployed to the island,
But the U.S. military does not have to be deployed every time a small uninhabited island with almost no facilities is captured,
The international community will judge that it is natural for Japan to defend such an island with its own military force,
The international community will judge that Japan has the right to defend itself to that extent with its own military force.
- If Chinese vessels are in the vicinity of the Senkakus almost all the time, Japan’s administrative authority will be questioned. Another point to be noted in this article is that “the Senkakus are under the administration of the State of Japan,
The other point to note in this article is the limitation of “territory under the administration of the State of Japan.
For example, the Northern Territories and Takeshima are
Japan’s inherent territory, but they are not under Japan’s administration,
but they are not under Japan’s administration.
This is because a certain country attacked Takeshima,
As long as it is not under Japan’s control,
The U.S. has no obligation to “deal with common dangers”.
What is “under Japan’s control”?
Japanese legislative, judicial, and administrative authority is exercised.
For example,
For example, if a Japanese Coast Guard patrol vessel is clearing a foreign vessel in Senkaku waters,
That is an exercise of police power,
under Japan’s jurisdiction.
However, as it is now,
However, as it is now, Chinese fishing boats and Chinese maritime police routinely enter the adjacent waters and territorial waters, and the Japanese side cannot exclude them,
Japan is unable to eliminate them,
This raises questions about Japan’s right to administer the waters.
According to a report by the Japan Coast Guard,
In the month of July 2023, there were 28 days of intrusion into the contiguous waters, with a total of 107 vessels and territorial waters,
The Japan Coast Guard reported that in the month of July 2023, a total of 107 vessels invaded the territorial waters for 28 days, and 6 vessels invaded the territorial waters for 2 days.
The danger of this state of affairs was pointed out by
Dr. Toshi Yoshihara, an American authority on China’s maritime strategy research, pointed out the danger of this situation.
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If Chinese vessels are actually in the vicinity of the Senkakus on a near-constant basis,
The Japanese claim that “Japan has no administrative authority over the Senkakus” will have an effect,
Japan’s longstanding claim that there is no territorial dispute over the Senkakus.
Japan’s longstanding claim that there is no territorial problem in the Senkakus.
What will Japan and the U.S. do when Japan’s administration of the Senkakus is denied?
What will Japan and the U.S. do when Japan’s right to administer the Senkakus is denied? [Yoshihara
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The question is, “What will Japan and the U.S. do?”
At this point in time, the U.S. government is
Japan’s administrative authority over the Senkaku Islands, but
If the Japanese government does nothing, and the Chinese vessels
If the Japanese government does nothing and the Chinese vessels continue to act as if they own the islands, then the Senkaku Islands are not under Japanese sovereignty,
If the Japanese government does nothing and the Chinese vessels continue to act as if they own the Senkaku Islands, the U.S. government will say, “The Senkaku Islands are not under Japanese control.
Therefore, the Senkaku Islands are not subject to Article 5 of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty.
If the Senkaku Islands are not under Japan’s control and the Chinese ship behaves as if it were our country, a politician may appear in the U.S,
In fact, the Chinese side may also be aiming for this kind of situation.
In fact, the Chinese side is also aiming for this kind of situation,
China may be persistently intruding into the Senkaku sea area every day, aiming for such a situation,
The Chinese may be targeting this kind of situation.
- China’s Three Ways of Invading Its Territorial Waters The three methods of China’s invasion of territorial waters are as follows,
The three methods of China’s invasion of its territorial waters can be clearly seen in its behavior in the South China Sea,
The following three methods can be observed.
We can observe the following three moves.
(1) Attack from the weakest point
When the U.S. military pulled out of the Vietnam War in 1973,
The following year, China eliminated the South Vietnamese troops stationed in the Paracel (Xisha) Islands by force.
The following year, China eliminated the South Vietnamese troops stationed in the Paracel Islands, and proceeded to build a military base there.
This was done without regard to the wishes of the North Vietnamese, with whom China had been fighting,
This measure was taken without regard to the wishes of the North Vietnamese, with whom they were fighting together.
North Vietnam later unified all of Vietnam,
However, the conflict with China over the ownership of the Paracel Islands (Xisha) continues to this day,
The conflict with China over possession of the Paracel Islands continues to this day.
The Spratly Islands (Nansha) are claimed by five countries, including the Philippines.
The Spratly Islands are claimed by five countries, including the Philippines,
In 1987, China converted some of the atolls into military bases, and in 1992, the U.S. military moved out of the Philippines,
In 1992, the U.S. military withdrew its bases from the Philippines,
When the U.S. military withdrew its bases from the Philippines in 1992, it constructed military facilities in six more locations.
When the U.S. military is gone,
When the U.S. military forces left the Philippines in 1992, they immediately accelerated their invasion of the islands.
On the other hand, the Senkaku Islands are still under strong Japanese and U.S. military power,
The Senkaku Islands, on the other hand, are still under the control of the Japanese and U.S. military, so they are not as blatant as the South China Sea.
Where the islands are strong, be cautious and hang on,
and then attack the weak areas first,
China’s MO is to attack the weak points first.
This is also the case with the Philippines and Vietnam,
It is no wonder that China is now strengthening its cooperative framework with the U.S. military.
(2) International law and international trials are being silenced
The “nine-dash line,” which China has defined as its territorial waters over most of the South China Sea,
Philippines filed a complaint with the Permanent Court of Arbitration, and in
under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in 2016.
The court ruled that “China’s nine-dash line has no legal basis and violates international law.”
The ruling was issued in 2016.
The Chinese government stoutly denied acceptance, saying it was “nothing more than a piece of paper.
The Chinese government stoutly denied acceptance, saying it was “nothing more than a piece of paper.
The Japan Shijuku’s October 1 publication, “No. 28, Senkaku Islands.
No. 28, Senkaku Islands,” published this October 1 by the Japan Shijuku,
China’s claim to the Senkaku Islands,
China’s claim to the Senkaku Islands began suddenly in 1971, after the possibility of oil reserves in the East China Sea was discovered in 1969,
China’s claim to the Senkaku Islands began suddenly in 1971, after the possibility of oil reserves in the East China Sea was discovered in 1969,
By then, even maps issued by the Chinese government showed the Senkaku Islands as Japan’s territory and the Senkaku Islands as China’s territory,
By that time, even maps published by the Chinese government labeled the Senkaku Islands as Japanese territory.
China’s claim to the Senkaku Islands has no basis in international law,
China’s claim to the Senkaku Islands has no basis in international law.
(3) Salami Tactics of Cutting Little by Little
China’s approach is often called “salami tactics.
It is a tactic of cutting off the territory little by little, while watching the other party’s response.
First comes the “territorial claim” and then the “intrusion of Chinese fishing boats.
Then, a row with the other country’s coast guard,
The Chinese Maritime Police Bureau’s “invasion of a public vessel.
Then, militiamen disguised as fishermen would come ashore,
The Chinese navy then lands on the island, and the area is converted into a military base.
Chinese vessels have been constantly invading the Senkaku Islands as well,
But it is no longer in the news and the Japanese public’s interest is waning,
The Japanese public’s interest is waning.
From there, fishing boat crews land on the islands under the guise of being in distress,
The Japanese side then comes out stronger than expected.
If the Japanese side comes on stronger than expected, they take a step back,
If the Japanese side comes on stronger than expected, they will take a step back, but if nothing serious happens, they will continue to normalize the situation.
This is a tactic that takes advantage of the human habit of habituation.
- China’s New Territorial Sea Map In a new map China released this past August 28,
China has claimed most of the South China Sea as its territorial waters.
The new map shows the “Tenth Parallel,” a further extension of the “Ninth Parallel,” which China had previously claimed as its territorial waters,
The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Taiwan all voiced their condemnation at the same time.
The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Taiwan all voiced their condemnation at the same time.
In response,
In response, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said at a press conference,
“We hope that all parties concerned will respond objectively and rationally,” he said.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson responded in a superior manner. [Sankei].
At the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) related meeting to be held immediately after this,
The leaders of the ASEAN countries will meet immediately after this meeting,
If we go to the trouble of releasing a map like this,
If we announce a map like this, it is as if we are trying to pick a fight with the other countries.
Under the dictatorship of Xi Jinping,
The Chinese officials are only concerned with pleasing the “emperor,
It seems that Chinese officials, under the dictatorship of Xi Jinping, are no longer able to make such a discovery.
The map also shows the largest of the Senkaku Islands, Uotsuri Island,
The map also shows the largest of the Senkaku Islands as “Diaoyu” (Diaoyu Islands),
Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno protested,
When Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno protested, a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said
When Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno protested, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, “The Diaoyu Islands and their attached islets are China’s inherent territory,
It is only natural that Chinese maps show the Diaoyu Islands as Chinese territory,
The Diaoyu Islands and their attached islets are inherent territory of China, and it is only natural that Chinese maps show the Diaoyu Islands as Chinese territory.
In traditional Chinese thought,
China is the center of the international community, and it is not surprising that China would talk with other countries on an equal footing,
It is not possible to use international common sense to talk with other countries on an equal footing or to follow international law.
- How to show the international community that Japan has the right to administer the affairs of the world In contrast, Japan is currently
In contrast, our country is currently trying to “not provoke the other side,” “maintain friendly relations,” and “peacefully.”
We have remained inaction, not even allowing Japanese citizens to land on the Senkakus,
We have allowed China’s salami tactics to continue.
This, as Dr. Yoshihara warns,
This only postpones the crisis and increases the threat in the future.
In response, there are three means of preserving territorial waters
(1) Demonstrate internationally the right of administration in a way that is difficult for the Chinese to complain about.
(2) Stepwise countermeasures in other areas against salami tactics
(3) Enhancement of the Senkaku defense system with new technology
First, the most rudimentary means of (1) “demonstrating internationally the right of administration in a manner that is difficult for the Chinese side to complain about” is the use of the lighthouse.
The most elementary measure is to build a lighthouse.
If the Japanese government builds a lighthouse and puts it on international charts,
ships of the world will recognize that they can navigate near Japan thanks to Japanese lighthouses.
However, the Japanese government has neglected to do so.
In 1978, over 100 Chinese armed fishing boats invaded Senkaku waters,
and engaged in a week of threatening behavior,
A group called Nippon Seinensha felt threatened by the government’s response and built a lighthouse on Uotsuri Island.
The group built a lighthouse on Uozuri Island by itself.
Since then, this group has spent more than 1 million yen each time,
Since then, the group has replaced batteries, maintained, and upkept the lighthouse more than 50 times at a cost of more than 1 million yen each time.
In 1980, a Philippine ship was lost in a typhoon,
The lighthouse was used to evacuate to Uozuri Island.
All 23 crew members were saved by the food stored there,
The lighthouse was used by the Ministry of Transportation as a lighthouse.
The Ministry of Transportation attempted to have the lighthouse included on official charts,
However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan stopped the project, saying that it was premature.
In 2005, the lighthouse was finally nationalized,
Since then, they have been managed by the Japan Coast Guard.
The private sector was doing what should have been done by the national government,
The government had stopped the private sector from doing what should have been done by the government, so what can I say?
The construction of facilities for navigational safety similar to lighthouses
Installation of weather radar, etc,
Construction of boat harbors where fishing boats can take shelter in bad weather,
In addition, civil servants are stationed to provide weather monitoring and rescue services for vessels in distress.
In this way, for the sake of international navigation safety,
The construction of facilities in territorial waters is an exercise of a country’s sovereignty,
This is an exercise of a country’s administrative authority.
If China complains about these measures for international navigational safety,
China’s complaints about these measures for international navigational safety will only make its position worse.
- Conducting Scientific Research The other is the implementation of scientific research.
Ishigaki City has conducted a second scientific survey in January this year, following the one conducted last year,
Ishigaki City conducted the second oceanographic survey in January this year with the cooperation of Tokai University.
It seems that coordination with the Japan Coast Guard and Maritime Self-Defense Force had been completed in advance,
Two Chinese maritime patrol vessels tried to interfere,
However, eight patrol vessels of the Japan Coast Guard blocked them and kept them at bay.
The Senkaku Islands are home to a small number of endangered plant and animal species, including albatrosses and Senkaku azaleas,
The Senkaku Islands are home to many endangered species of flora and fauna, including albatrosses and senkaku azaleas.
The next step would be to go ashore and survey the islands.
And then invite other countries to join us,
Japan should take the lead in organizing an international survey team,
and have them come ashore.
Of course, we would also call on China to participate.
They will not participate, of course.
It would be a good idea for Japan to organize an international survey team
and welcome them to the Senkaku Islands,
Japan’s right to administer the islands.
- There are various defense measures. The second measure is “(2) against salami tactics,
(2) Step-by-step countermeasures in other areas.
For example,
For example, the U.S. often freezes the personal assets of Chinese government officials hidden overseas,
This is a common practice.
Generally, Chinese government officials have amassed vast personal fortunes through corruption,
They then put them away in case of emergency,
in banks in the U.S., Europe, Japan, etc., in case of emergency.
Freezing these assets is the most painful measure for Chinese VIPs,
This is the most painful measure for Chinese VIPs.
Japan is following suit with the freezing of U.S. assets [Takahashi],
For example, freezing the financial assets of Chinese government officials who are making decisions regarding the Senkaku Islands
Japan could, for example, freeze the financial assets of Chinese government officials who are making decisions regarding the Senkaku Islands.
Even if they don’t actually freeze them,
But even without actually freezing the assets, threatening to freeze them if they do something like this would be a deterrent.
The third measure is
The third measure is “(3) Enhancement of the Senkaku defense system with new technology.
Look at the war in Ukraine,
Drones and missiles capable of precision strike,
drones and missiles capable of precision strikes.
For example, against the Chinese fishermen who landed on the island (militia dressed as fishermen),
Aerial drones can be used to spray tear gas against Chinese fishermen (militiamen disguised as fishermen) who have landed,
or destroying the propellers of fishing boats and maritime patrol vessels with underwater drones,
Before a full-scale combat action,
There are many possible means of intimidation before full-scale combat.
And if a full-scale battle were to take place?
Surface-to-air and surface-to-ship missiles, which are currently being deployed on Ishigaki Island, are effective,
Surface-to-air and surface-to-ship missiles, which are currently being deployed on Ishigaki Island, would be effective.
These missiles will also act as a deterrent in the event of a Taiwan crisis.
The deployment of missiles is also progressing smoothly,
The deployment of missiles is proceeding smoothly because of the decision by Mayor Yoshitaka Nakayama of Ishigaki City to accept the Self-Defense Forces.
If it had been someone like Governor Denny Tamaki of Okinawa,
I am sure this would not have been possible.
Ishigaki City is at the forefront of our nation,
Ishigaki City has made a valuable contribution to the protection of our country’s front lines,
Ishigaki City has made a valuable contribution to our country as a front line defense force.
We, the general public, should at least support Ishigaki City by paying taxes to the hometown,
Let’s support Ishigaki City at least by paying tax.
For example, “Donation for the collection and dissemination of information on the Senkaku Islands, the treasures of Ishigaki City.
Donation for the project to collect and disseminate information on the Senkaku Islands, the treasures of Ishigaki City”,
We accept donations within the range of 1,000 yen to 100,000 yen.
There are many other attractive food items as well.
[Ishigaki City]
(Text by Masaomi Ise)
