Diplomatic Rally Goes On

Annoyed with consecutive violation of sovereignty, Japanese government intensified diplomatic effort to deal with China’s consistent intrusion into Japanese territory around Senkaku Islands, Okinawa. Not only protesting actually unqualified Chinese Ambassador to Japan, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Fumio Kishida, visited Philippine to discuss Chinese unilateral maritime advance. Bilateral relation between Japan and China is rapidly deteriorating.

Chinese behavior around Senkakus is escalating these few days. Following invasion of territorial sea by official vessels, China started visitation of Chinese fishing boats, as if exercising administrative power on fishing around there. Japanese Coast Guard witnessed on Tuesday and Wednesday a scene of Chinese fishermen transferring from their boat to a Chinese official vessel. The Guard warned Chinese vessel that exercise of administrative power in Japan’s economic exclusive zone could not be allowed. Although such activities were seen fifteen times between 2012 and 2015, it was the first time this year.

Kishida called Chinese Ambassador to Japan, Cheng Yonghua, to come to his office and protested on consecutive intrusion of Chinese ships into Japan’s territorial sea. “Since August 5, and despite Japan’s repeated strong protests, the dispatch by China of multiple government vessels and their repeated intrusion into Japan’s territorial waters surrounding the Senkaku Islands is a violation of Japan’s sovereignty, and that China is conducting unilateral activities that further raise tensions on the ground cannot be accepted whatsoever. I reiterate Japan’s strong protest,” told Kishida. Cheng responded by reiterating China’s existing unique position.

Frustrated with consecutive protest of Japanese government, China cancelled the visit of Deputy Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs to Japan planned for later this month. The visit was once set for discussing schedule of meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping taking the opportunity of Group 20 Summit in China next month. It is regarded that trilateral Foreign Ministers meeting, including South Korea, in Japan later this month will also be cancelled.

China blocked new resolution in United Nations Security Council to blame North Korea of shooting missile touched down within Japan’s EEZ, in which Japan and United States requested strongly, China, having veto power in the Council, firmly protested it. It is reported that China is frustrated with the appointment of an ultra-right legislator, Tomomi Inada, to Japanese Minister of Defense. If Inada visits Yasukuni Shrine on August 15^th, as she did in previous years, Chine is likely to make further action of intimidation.