Four Chinese Surveillance Ships Push Their Luck With Japanese Patience

Agence France Presse ^ | 1-7-2013 | AFP

[blam]

Four Chinese Surveillance Ships Push Their Luck With Japanese Patience

Agence France Presse
January 7, 2013

Four Chinese government ships entered territorial waters around Japan-controlled islands at the centre of a dispute on Monday, the Japanese coastguard said.

The four marine surveillance ships were seen moving within 12 nautical miles of the islands, known as the Senkakus in Japan and the Diaoyus in China, just before midday, the coastguard said in a statement.

It was the first time since December 31 -- and the 21st time since Japan nationalised the islands in September -- that any state-owned Chinese ship has been seen in the archipelago's waters, which lie in the East China Sea.

A state-owned Chinese plane flew through airspace over the islands early last month. Tokyo responded by scrambling fighter jets and said it was the first time Beijing had breached its airspace since at least 1958.

On Saturday, another Chinese state-owned plane approached the islands without entering the airspace, prompting another Japanese fighter jet dispatch.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Japan wants to strengthen its military connection to the US, yet can’t stand to have US troops in Japan.
Can’t have it both ways...

[Minutemen]

Can you blame them?

[onedoug]

With the soetoro administration? Now, that would be funny were it no so tragic.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I have mixed emotions about this (having lived as a military dependent in Japan for several years.)
Clearly, Japan is conflicted over the remaining (smaller than ever) US footprint, yet cannot defend itself as even South Korea is allowed to do (the Japanese constitution.)

I think China sees this as a dual opportunity, first to take a leading position in controlling their side of the Pacific and also to pay back the Japanese for the horrors of WW II.

[oldbrowser]

I think China sees this as a dual opportunity, first to take a leading position in controlling their side of the Pacific and also to pay back the Japanese for the horrors of WW II.

The gains made by the western powers during WWII are in danger. China & Russia extending their influence, while the U.S., Europe, & Israel are threatened.
All due to American economic and foreign policies.

[Army Air Corps]

Pei Ping.

[aegiscg47]

Japan has an excellent navy and a very good air force. I think, however, that they are going to extremes in not wanting to ever use them. I think it will take the Chinese actually landing troops on the islands to get them to respond to the threat. Even then, they may only complain to the UN.

[TigersEye]

Thanks for the ping. I was wondering what was going on with this standoff.