Okinawa Weighs in on China-Japan Spat

The article, Okinawa Weighs in on China-Japan Spat, by Yoree Koh gives further information about the current dispute between perhaps the two most powerful Asian nations on Earth, China and Japan. While the issue might not have been receiving much publicity on American news sources, it is without a doubt a very large issue in Japan. Even though the Japanese government has recently released the Chinese fishing boat captain from detainment, the concern of who the rightful owner is of the islands is far from over. What makes the story so critically important to current issues is the fact that it has the possibility of escalating to a tremendous intensity. Both countries lay claim to the group of small islands, and the Japanese Coast Guard currently controls them. That being said the Chinese government is beginning to up their coastal patrols, only inviting more conflict to arrive. Should China go to the extreme and attack the nation of Japan, the United States, as a strong ally of the Japanese, could be forced to send in troops for aid. The article, however, talks specifically about the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly and its demand that the “central government [of Japan] lay claim to the Senkaku islands.” The assembly, other than asking China to take the issue carefully, desires local Japanese fishermen to be permitted and protected to fish at the location of the chain of islands. The article continues to point out specifics of the conflict, such as China standing by its claim to the islands by sending more coastal guards. Once again, this conflict is such a large issue in Japan. Not only are the Chinese increasing the presence of their defense at the islands, but they are also in the process of developing awfully powerful underwater missiles. These missiles would possess the capability of destroying military equipment, which proves as a great source of intimidation to the Japanese. Overall the conflict between China and Japan concerning the Senkaku islands represents an even larger issue of territorial control between the two nations.
http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2010/09/28/okinawa-ever-helpful-weighs-in-on-china-japan-spat/?KEYWORDS=japan