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China has been in the forefront of international news for the United States quite often in the past few months. Taiwan, an island long sought after by the Chinese Communist Party under the guise of “reunification,” has been a source of tensions in Asia.
This conflict, however, does not only affect the United States and China. Japan, a country whose history with China is dotted with conflict and war over the centuries, faces an ever-dangerous path forward as China continues to step up its aggressive behavior towards its neighbors.
In an interview with Japan Consul General Kazuhiro Nakai, he discussed Japan’s security concerns regarding the brewing storm to their west and to that, he began by saying, “We [Japan] are getting more and more concerned.”
In the East China Sea that separates the two nations, naval standoffs have been occurring almost constantly and they are happening for a tiny island chain just north of Taiwan that Japan calls the Senkaku Islands.
In 1885, Japan discovered the Senkaku Islands and found that they were not officially claimed by any country. China, the European Colonial Powers, and even the U.S. had no formal stake on the uninhabited islands, so Japan officially planted its flag in 1895. When World War II ended and American forces ceased the occupation of Japan, ownership of the Senkaku Islands was given back to the Japanese and they have administered the islands ever since. Then, around 1970, a U.N. survey of the islands’ undersea resources revealed a host of oil reserves ripe for the plucking.
Consul General Nakai said, “and all of a sudden, China started claiming [the islands].”
He even noted that Chinese maps prior to the discovery of oil placed ownership of the Senkaku Islands firmly in Japanese hands.
In the decades since, this dispute has deteriorated Sino-Japanese relations up to the present day. Last year alone, 336 days of the year involved incursions of Chinese military aircraft and naval vessels into Japanese territorial waters and airspace, and they are becoming more frequent.
Consul General Nakai said that some days, these incursions happen multiple times. Japan normally sends its coast guard to chase these vessels away but with tensions so high, the question becomes: what happens if Chinese gunboats decide they don’t want to turn around?
The prospect of war is a scary thought. For the U.S., it would be fighting a war against a powerful adversary halfway across the globe. Japan, however, would be fighting a war that could potentially occur right on their doorstep. When asked if Japan feels confident in its collaboration with the United States to curb Chinese aggression, General Consul Nakai answered, “We are determined to do whatever is necessary [to stop China].”
Japan always has placed great importance on the prosperity of its country and the countries that share its interests. It has not built up a formal military since World War II, maintaining only what it calls a “Self-Defense Force.” However, the recent developments in Asia regarding Taiwan seems to have signaled that the days of peaceful coexistence may come to a close if an agreement over Taiwan is not reached soon. China’s rapid military modernization has prompted Japan to double its military spending in the hopes of matching their pace.
Consul General Nakai was not shy in sharing the numbers behind the Japanese navy and air force, boasting hundreds of fighter jets and more to come in order to counter the threat of military conflict with China.
The goal? Peace for Taiwan, Japan, and Asia.
Consul General Nakai expressed Japan’s views concerning Taiwan’s independence and he feels as strongly about it as the U.S. does. “Taiwan is crucially important for… security and prosperity.”
They hope for a “free” and “open” Asia but in order to do that, Taiwan also must be free. As Asia is responsible for a massive portion of global trade, Consul General Nakai believes a prosperous Asia means a prosperous world. War would endanger that hope and so in closing, he said that, “Japan will do whatever is necessary to safeguard that vision.”
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