China-Japan Senkaku-Daiyu islands dispute heats up.

[WarToad]

Some backgroud info at Wiki.  (Which for this purpose, is accurate to the history and dispute.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senkaku_Islands




A set of small outcropping islands in the East China Sea, historiacally claimed by China and Japan. (And Taiwan)  China claims it as early as the 14th century.  Japan took them militarily in 1895 through the end of WWII.  The US then administered them post-war until turning them back over to Japan in 1971.  The were recently owned privately by a Japanese family (still contested by China) BUT just recently sold to Japan (The nation) who now claims national sovernty over the islands.
China claims this is illegal and violates international law.


Why the beef over a few rocks in the sea goats can barely live on? (Placed there by Japanese right-wing nationalists)  The 200 mile economic zone of control brings with it some nice fishing grounds, but more so... a recently discovered massive undersea gas/oil field.



http://www.eia.gov/emeu/cabs/East_China_Sea/Full.html

Contested Areas of the East China Sea

The X/O basin, according to official Chinese estimates, has reserves of nearly 17.5 Tcf of natural gas. China has identified gas deposits in the X/O trough region, roughly 280 miles (240 nautical miles) southeast of Shanghai. Chunxiao is the largest Chinese gas field and is used on occasion to reference all fields in the area: Baoyunting, Tianwaitian, Duanqiao, Canxue, and Wuyunting. According to CNOOC, the fields and their estimated reserves are:



Chinese gas production is currently underway. Tianwaitian began production in the first half of 2006 and as of April 2007 produced 17.65 MMcf per day. Chunxiao, located just 3 miles west of the median line, will eventually link via pipeline to Tianwaitian from where both platforms gas will travel via pipeline roughly 600 miles to an onshore terminal at Ningbo. CNOOC and Sinopec are equal shareholders for natural gas projects in the region.

Japan

Japan is concerned that production at the Chunxiao field is depleting resources from its side of the median line. In the summer of 2005 Japan authorized Teikoku Oil Company to begin exploratory drilling. In September of 2005, Teikoku sent the Ramform Victory to conduct seismic surveys in the X/O trough, but the ship left the area upon the appearance of Chinese warships. Further plans for exploration are on hold pending discussions between Teikoku and the Japanese government regarding the protection of Teikokus workers.

Over the last 2 weks it's gotten very heated.  Protests in both Japan and China over the other side.  Japanese businesses burned in China, Chinese PRC employees sent home from Japan.  China sends a couple warships to cruise the islands, Japan sends some warships to meet them.



http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/china-japan-heading-towards-war-says-us-defence-secretary-leon-panetta/story-e6frg6so-1226475484583

China, Japan heading towards war, says US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta

CHINA and other Asian countries could end up at war over territorial disputes if governments keep up their "provocative behaviour", US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has said.
Speaking to reporters before arriving in Tokyo on a trip to Asia, Mr Panetta appealed for restraint amid mounting tensions over territorial rights in the East China Sea and the South China Sea.

"I am concerned that when these countries engage in provocations of one kind or another over these various islands, that it raises the possibility that a misjudgment on one side or the other could result in violence, and could result in conflict," Mr Panetta said, when asked about a clash between Japan and China.

"And that conflict would then have the potential of expanding."

The Pentagon chief's trip coincides with an escalating row between Asia's two largest economies over an archipelago in the East China Sea administered by Tokyo under the name Senkaku and claimed by China under the name Diaoyu.  (snip)

[WarToad]

http://japandailypress.com/1000-chinese-fishing-boats-sailing-towards-disputed-senkaku-waters-1712396

1,000 Chinese fishing boats sailing towards disputed Senkaku waters
By Adam Westlake  /   September 17, 2012

Chinese national media has reported that roughly 1,000 fishing boats have set sail from mainland China are due to arrive in the waters surrounding the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands before the end of Monday. Having departed from several coastal provinces like Fujian and Zhejiang, this act could be endorsed by Beijing as one of the largest oppositions against Japan and its government's nationalization of the disputed territory. Should the large number of Chinese fishing boats enter Japan's territorial waters, they will undoubtedly encounter the patrol ships of the Japan Coast Guard.

Chinese national media has reported that roughly 1,000 fishing boats have set sail from mainland China are due to arrive in the waters surrounding the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands before the end of Monday. Having departed from several coastal provinces like Fujian and Zhejiang, this act could be endorsed by Beijing as one of the largest oppositions against Japan and its government's nationalization of the disputed territory. Should the large number of Chinese fishing boats enter Japan's territorial waters, they will undoubtedly encounter the patrol ships of the Japan Coast Guard.

[WarToad]

The latest fishing boat move is China essentially giving Japan the double eagle salute to show the world, and embaress Japan, that is it unable to assert it's "sovernty" over the islands.  Just go ahead and try to arrest and detain 1000 fishing boats violating your waters. 

If Japan does nothing, China proves it's point.  If Japan confronts them, the US-Japan security treaty compels the US to support Japan should it be asked.  And yes, over these disputed islands since Japan proper has now claimed soventy.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Mutual_Cooperation_and_Security_between_the_United_States_and_Japan


This powder keg is getting pretty heated, pretty fast.

[WarToad]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/16/japan-china-envoy-idUSL3E8KG07F20120916

Japan's ambassador-designate to China dies in Tokyo - ministry
TOKYO, Sept 16 | Sun Sep 16, 2012 12:31am EDT

(Reuters) - Japan's ambassador-designate to China, Shinichi Nishimiya, died on Sunday in a Tokyo hospital, the Foreign Ministry said, three days after he was found unconscious on a Tokyo street.

Doctors were looking into the cause of death, ministry official Takashi Ariyoshi said in a statement, but no other details were available. Nishimiya, 60, was found unconscious on a street near his home on his way to work.

Nishimiya was to have left in mid-October to take over from Uichiro Niwa as Japan's top envoy in Beijing.

While coincidental, Nishimiya's death came as tensions flared up between Japan and China over a disputed group of islands in the East China Sea claimed by both countries.

Anti-Japan protests flared in cities across China for a second day on Sunday, with police using tear gas and water cannon to drive back thousands of protesters in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, near Hong Kong.

The protests, the latest setback in long-troubled relations between China and Japan, followed Japan's decision on Tuesday to buy the disputed islands, called Senkaku by Tokyo and the Diaoyu by Beijing and which could contain rich gas reserves, from a private Japanese owner. (Reporting by Yuko Inoue; Editing by Paul Tait)


Interestingly... Mr. Nishimiya was considered Pro-China in his diplomacy.  An Ambassador the Japan-China relationship desperately needs right now.  Coincidence?  Details of his death unclear at this time.
~ WarToad

[zorgon]

So WW III on the way it seems 

[robomont]

watch a giant suname or hurricane wipe the fishing boats out.alien intervention?
happened before with the invading hoards .then what would china do?
why are the japs getting in trouble in china?this is over more than just some islands.
theres enough fish and fuel for both.until it runs out.
then they will be in the same boat.
lol.

[Somamech]

Japan, Taiwan and China have been going over the stretch of water since it was ocean

They all need each other

Wartoad thanks for putting together a really good thread.  Even though I may not be so concerened about it as a member here, I do  appluad such effort

Gold ol toad! 

[WarToad]

Thanks -

For the record, I don't think anything will come of it.  A lot of sound and fury, citizen rage, but two very important trading partners.  Fingers will be pointed, sharp words spoken, but "the spice must flow."

[Primus58]

LOL, I can just picture Mel Brooks on the first ship...

I sure hope they don't get HAARPooned!