China, Taiwan complain after Japanese politicians land on disputed isles

“Diaoyu island is ours. It is from our ancestors. We are protesting Japan’s attitude and actions,” their spokesman Huang Hsi-lin told

The Chinese Adam and Eve were created by the Communist God was on that Island. From there they started multiplying to become the center or the world. Ha ha

Look at the boundry line. Soon it will come outside of Okinawa Islands... With a new story of ancestors .... watch it in a few years time...

If we let China draw the line off the Okinawa coast, in 5 years it'll be off Guam and in 10 off Oahu. Give it 20 years and maybe olff San Diego?

What is it with some of the politicians landing on "disputed islands"? This is not the stone age right? Medvedev doing some clownish acts on some islands and then others following suit? Can people sit at a table and discuss decently? Even better, if they forget these islands for a while and think better about improving the economic situation of their respective countries. In my opinion, these islands cannot solve the problems of the common people of the respective countries.

Oil and natural gas mean more than civil relations with neighbors. Spoiled kids playing a deadly game of populism.

The islands have been a source of tension between Japan and China for decades AFP

The islands have NOT been a source of tension between Japan and China for decades

The change came after oil,gas were found. No dispute.

real & Ossan, I agree. That boundary line China is claiming is freakishly close to Okinawa and if they're to be taken at their word, what we have is a living, breathing and moving boundary line lol.

oldsanno, good point. I was wondering what the historical context was regarding claims to these islands. Doesn't seem to go far back as the Takeshima dispute in comparison. Would be interesting to see old maps with the borders clearly marked for reference.

Diaoyu island is ours. It is from our ancestors.

Okay ... let me get this straight: one of their ancestors probably told his son: "Son, remember that island we ate on when we went fishing last year? I give it to you as your inheritance."

I mean, how can you claim ancestral origins on an uninhabited clump of rocks?

bizarre junket. must have brought a lot of beer.

China has been claiming all surrounding islands as their own. They claim the Spratly's island including portions of Philippine territory (Palawan Island) and has been aggressively sinking boats on the area. The funny thing is that this only started when Phil govt found that the area is rich in natural gas and oil.

The same thing with these Senkaku islands. Before there was any exploration on the area, these islands were integral part of Japan territory. The Chinese govt recognized Japan sovereignty over these islands for hundreds of years. But then Japan found natural gas few decades back....and the story goes on.

China is a bully. Nobody can stand in its way now, not with Japan spineless politicians who don't understand a thing. Give a Vietnamese or a Philippine army with a knife and they will fight to protect their country. Give a Japanese the most advanced submarine fleet, frigates, air force and still they will give up without giving up a fight.

The passiveness of the Japanese govt has caused all its recent problem. They bury their head in the sand and avaoid all conflict at all cost.

Let the Chinese claim the whole of Japan and still Japan will sit back relax and probably will whine but never take any action.

The Chinese claim the discovery and control of the islands from the 14th century. Japan controlled the islands from 1895 until her surrender at the end of World War II. The United States administered them as part of the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands from 1945 until 1972, when the islands reverted to Japanese control under the Okinawa Reversion Treaty between the United States and Japan

soooooo, what is there to argue about? The Okinawa Reversion Treaty clearly states that these islands belong to Japan. China will say that because the islands were "originally theirs" that they don't recognize this treaty but hey, that's what happens after wars. The victor draws the new lines and the world moves on. At least MOST of the world does.....

Oh, this issue is harassing and without end for dispute, the only solution is a duel between two countrys, the winner take all.

Historically, Okinawa are also owned by Qing Dynasty, when Qing is defeated by Japan, Okinawa is ceded to Japan, but after the World War II, the japan is surrendered, as treaty, Chiang Kai-shik will send troops to Japan to maintain peace like United States today, but, the civil war is bursted out in China, Chiang Kai-shik had to give up this arrangements.

Otherwise, there is no tensions between China and Japan, since all the Okinawa is not under the Control of Japan now.

From my thinking, the territory disputes cann't be solved by mouths, only power talks, who own the bigger power, who will win and take it away, the loser have no choice but scrounch into a corner.

Noda: Whoops, yeah, I was supposed to be REDUCING tensions right? Sorry dude, what was I thinking?

It's Taiwan's Island, Japan has over thousands of little islands. Give it to Taiwan. Let's be friends.

So, as a proverbial saying: China down, Japan rise, China rise, Japan down.

@China Dragon

Historically, Okinawa are also owned by Qing Dynasty, when Qing is defeated by Japan, Okinawa is ceded to Japan

Not true. Okinawa paid tribute to the Qing, just like Korea, Vietnam and other places did. The Qing did not own Okinawa.

By the way, the Qing were not even Chinese, they were Manchu.

Let's look at geology here. Those islands are part of the Japanese Island Chain

First, dragon either extinct or never existed. Second, Chinese dragon rises to nowhere since the law of gravity proved that the higher you rise, the harder you fall. Third, Chinese society has no internal foundation to sustain prosperity as claimed for the long run. There will be a war within China, since the communist government is marching against the core value of modern civilized humanity. History has shown that no nation that lead people to worship money will rise as phoenix from ashes. I guess, China dragon will only jump when peoples poke with the stick and does not fly. What China is really need is the reform and learn to live with the rest of the world without taking too much advantage. The world court will decide on the fate of these chain of islands. Please stop the nonsense rhetoric. Happy New Year.

With the exception of Taishō Jima, which the Japanese government owns, the other four islands are owned by a Japanese businessman living in Saitama. The islands are leased to the Japanese government at a cost of approximately 24.5 million yen per year. (Uotsuri Jima 21.12 million yen, Minami Kojima 1.88 million yen, Kita Kojima 1.5 million yen. Kuba Jima is for US Forces use. The Tokyo governor Ishihara once tried to buy an island but the owner refused.

To: Begood41

Happy new year! I partly agree with you, and i would like to remind you that the democracy can bring justice, but the democracy cann't bring food, efficiency and prosperity.

That's why the Arab Spring can only change Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, but it cann't sway Saudi Arabia, UAE and China.

You need find the difference between those two blocs. this is very critical to overrule your claim that there will be a war inside China.

Let China & Taiwan complain. That land belongs to Japan, so the Japanese should be able to do with it as they please. The Japanese just gotta get enough guts to build something permanently there that shows they are serious about keeping the isles ...

The humane being is a very small creature in the universe, there are vast area we don't know or just know little, so, there is no absolute thing in the world.

Well, the CCP do not follow up the core values of humanity, but it doesn't mean they will not change, they will not reform, so if you expect the war inside China is ridiculous.

if you study the leadership of CCP, you can find most of their children are educated in United States, so, they know the trend, and they are prepared.

What if Japan claimed the isles in trusteeship for Taiwan?

Interesting how some here are encouraging war and expecting more unpleasantness. Have we not learned enough from the past wars?

These island issues will never be settled by meetings between the two nations, or with pressure from other nations. And while I'm not at all advocating any off the following, I see them as the only REAL ways the issues will be 'settled':

By force: Let's say hypothetically that China just up and takes the islands, not during a time of war, and without any shots fired or retaliation by US forces or what have you. So, China now has the islands, with at least two or three countries in the world upset by it (likely far more... I'm just saying at least) and Japan has backed down. Problem with this scenario is that inevitably the nation that lost the island would say it USED TO belong to them (as with the Kuriles) and they were forced off, so they should get them back.

Money: one side or the other buy's them and they sign a final joint declaration that gives one nation ownership of the land, and surrounding waters (to an extent, of course). CrazyJoe made a good point that four of the five islands are privately owned, and although I'm sure the Japanese government would make some claim that the owners can't sell the land to a foreign nation/company, etc., even the government might cave to a certain amount.

Disaster: By this I mean one nation dropping any contest to the islands in favour of or thanks for any and all aid given by one nation to the other in the event of a MASSIVE natural disaster, as a show of good faith or otherwise (ie. #2). Or on the other hand if one nation drops the island claims out of sympathy and/or to help the nation that has suffered said catastrophe. Highly unlikely, but hey.

There are probably a couple of other reasons why one country would drop claims and/or give up the islands, but it certainly won't be as Bgoody suggests with the world court. NEITHER nation, despite previously promising to abide by any world court decision (hypothetically), would agree to a ruling against them. And as we can clearly see it'll never happen bilaterally... so we've got the endless and at times seemingly pointless debates.

crustpunker: ".... that's what happens after wars. The victor draws the new lines and the world moves on. At least MOST of the world does....."

Oddly enough, if you point that out about the Kuriles many people who argue what you just said as proof these islands belong to Japan would simply say, "That's a different matter! The Norther Territories are Japanese!". The only problem with 'the victor' thing is that Japan was not the victor and Japan and the US only agreed on certain lines for control of Okinawa -- did China sign the treaty?

Anyway, out of the numerous island disputes Japan is engaged in, this is the only major one that Japan has any real teeth in terms of claims, and that's because they currently administer the islands. For they same reason they DON'T have any real footing on the other claims, because as more and more time passes and one nation administers, lives on, and even builds on and around the islands the chances are far more likely the other nation's claims will be completely unrecognized and indefensible. The problem with THAT, though, is that in the case of Senkaku/Daioyu the other party is China (the party most likely to use force if it comes to that).

It seems like this issue show up couple times yearly. It's definitely Japanese began with it this time. I believe everyone here know that's some politician's show, however those who really represent some part of Japanese view or something like pride under feeling of inferiority. It's almost the only outlet for those pitiful minds, they can't go to northern islands, they can't go to Tokto island, they even imagine their Ryukyu was occupied by those who actually protect them! At this time a man need VIAGRA(Senkaku/Diaoyu)! I want everyone here let it be and don't mind too much.

A primary rule in a territorial dispute is "who has his flag planted into the soil at the moment?" In the case of the Liancourts, the Korean flag stands tall. In the Falklands, the Union Jack flies. In the northern territories, the Russian Bear prowls about. In the Senkaku case, the Japanese flag is firmly planted. It is no doubt that whoever has that presence, albeit minuscule, has a larger claim in territorial arguments. These territories are too small and do not yield the rewards justifying the higher price to pay whether that be armed conflict or hardball realpolitik. If anything, Taiwan and PRC can do nothing but send in that formal complaint, much like Japan does towards its South Korean and Russian neighbor. Globalization did turn out to be a method of peace keeping. There is no way that both countries, in this CH and JP, will be willing to trash billions of dollars of mutual profitability for the sake of a few inhabitable islands.

whiskeysourJan. 04, 2012 - 11:18AM JST It's Taiwan's Island, Japan has over thousands of little islands. Give it to Taiwan. Let's be friends.

If China wasn't claming Taiwan or theatening to take it by force for the last 50 years...they just might.

@OssanAmerica

If China wasn't claming Taiwan or theatening to take it by force for the last 50 years...they just might.

What we Taiwanese can do since it's Nixon promised and signed " contract" with Mao to confirm that "the US insists in that Taiwan is part of China and there is only one China in the world." So what we can do is to claim that China is part of ROC!

Sorry to Nixson~ it's Carter to sign that "contract" to sell Taiwan. Nixson is only the beginner.

These island issues will never be settled by meetings between the two nations, or with pressure from other nations

Have to disagree. Obviously it is Canadian 'progressives' who will solve this problem.

The coastguards' probably intended negligence reignited the incident -- how come a 'frequent- trespasser' like H. NAKAMA enjoyed deliberately his annual 'fishing' event under the strict surveillance of the Coastguards ?

Really China. How is it then that you only started to claim sovereignty after gas was found to be beneath the islands?

I sense another Falklands style war to erupt :/

The Falklands analogy is not relevant to this discussion.

it seems that japan's neighbors like dispute any island that was added to the empire since the Meiji restoration.

but when they claim disputed island in west philippines sea, they just intimidate small countries...

I partly agree with you, and i would like to remind you that the democracy can bring justice, but the democracy cann't bring food, efficiency and prosperity. Neither does Communism. The difference is, in a democracy justice is used to bring food, efficiency and prosperity. In Communism or Fascism "justice" is used to persecute people the government doesn't like, depriving them of food and prosperity. Maybe if you stopped listening to CCTV or reading Communist books you'd learn that even Latin America, as hopelessly corrupt as it is and with wealth amassed in the hands of a few (as China is doing) values democracy a lot more now.

Well, you know CCTV, that means you have some knowledge about China, but you are misunderstood that all the Chinese are brainwashed by CCTV, actually, the CCTV is a laughingstock even in China, they just show good news and censored news, actually, there is few Chinese are serious about CCTV.

Now, it's time for the political reform after the economy reform, maybe you can get sign after the leadership change this year.