China calls Ishihara's remarks on Senkakus 'irresponsible'

Actually the Chinese responding in quite a mature manner compared to idiot features in Tokyo. That wont stop the anti Chinese posters on here using this to bash them over it. But they need to remember this, if the goose in Tokyo didnt open his big uninformed nationalist mouth over something that he has no control over (Japanese foreign policy) then this wouldnt have happened. In the end the national government showed their weakness by not slapping this fool down, that would have done more for international opinion than letting this old fool run off at the mouth over and over. Oh well Japan you reap what you sow.... Enjoy.

Henry Kissinger said communists respect strength above all else. I'm sure he didn't mean a bigoted geriatric looking for a headline. 'Petty' is about right for him. Unfortunately, it isn't so petty if people lose business because of his idiotic posturing.

I am never going to support or praise a cruel/selfish/corrupt government in their response to Japan' s idiotic Ishihara.

Lets just say that Ishihara is just as ignorant and stubborn.

You might not agree or even dislike Ishihara but he now firmly closed the door on the islands. The islands and surrounding waters are now officially Japanese soil. No more arguing on who is right. The Chinese or the Japanese.

papigiulio

You might not agree or even dislike Ishihara but he now firmly closed the door on the islands. The islands and surrounding waters are now officially Japanese soil. No more arguing on who is right. The Chinese or the Japanese.

Sorry did we miss the UN or ICJ decision on the fate of the islands? Ishihara isnt the judge and jury on who owns these islands he is nothing more than a self promoting, nationalistic truth denying nut job. Who needs to keep his senile old mouth shut and not butt into things that are part of Japans foreign policy. He is afterall nothing but a mayor of a city not PM or FM.

Met him once at an event. I know he never lingers after to do a meishi (biz card) exchange, so caught him before he sat for lunch. A most arrogant man. Saw him at the Press Club this week too, never changes.

We'll this story gives me some relief. It's very important that those in high government positions recognize idiots who can't control their mouthpiece.

If the world didn't recognize that Ishihara is off his rocker we'd already be at war.

I have a few questions of legal nature regarding Ishihara;s plan:

Ishihara is Governor of Tokyo and has collected funds from citizens to purchase these islands, does he intend to purchase them personally or on behalf of Tokyo-to?

Should the answer be that he intends to buy them for Tokyo-to, would the islands then be annexed by Tokyo or would they remain part of Okinawa-ken (assuming they are part of Okinawa now)?

If they became part of Tokyo-to, would he have the authority to station Tokyo police on the islands regardless of the position of the National Ggovernment on non-confrontational-ism and efforts to come to an agreement with China for joint exploration of the national resources off-shore?

Would the 200 mile EEZ be owned by by Ishihara, Tokyo-to or the National Government?

Don't worry China, we agree with you.

Next, the Chinese may lay claim to Guam and Saipan.

“The wilful words and actions of some Japanese politicians are irresponsible moves smearing the image of Japan.”

exactly exactly.

“Some Japanese politicians have been making petty moves to try to make trouble, but their actions will not alter the fact that these islands belong to China,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told reporters.

Pretty funny. It's statements like this that show - love him or hate him - Ishihara is making the right moves.  and that his detractors need to examine the issue better.

This is a territorial and resource issue, pure and simple.

China only started making noises about these islands circa 1969 when it was found they may be surrounded by resources. 

Ishihara's moves are smart for 3 key reasons:

1/ controlling the Senkakus will - obviously - be in Japan's interests, due to the expanded area of sovereignty and associated fishing and resource rights that sovereignty entails.

2/ JGOV isn't obviously involved, although the odds are good they are pulling levers in the smoky back rooms.

3/ Tokyo buying the islands will transfer ownership from - merely - "a man in Saitama" to the Tokyo Prefectual Government - an important step but not at the stage where it will cause an inter-government spat because it's not a government level.

People need to put their views of Ishigara's racism completely aside - they have nothing to do with this issue.

I would say China making unfounded and opportunistic claims without any basis in international law on the territory not just of Japan, but nearly every single one of its neighbors is irresponsible, and smears their image.

In the end of the day, anything Ishihara does is irrelevant. It seems to me he is simply trying to copy what Korea did with the Liancourts - escalate the aggro over the dispute by putting an MPD police station on the island, as he will be entitled to do when it becomes Tokyo prefectural land. I can imagine him then setting up nationalist tours to the islands like in Korea, where people can pose by the flag and the islands feeling like they are sticking it to China. Great. Irrelevant but great.

My view always was that the more mature attitude it took to its territorial disputes than its neighbors was one of its commending points. I'll agree, with Ishihara proposing turning the Senkakus into a kind of nationalist rallying point is tacky, and at the same base level that the Korean government takes to that dispute. Japan should be given credit for trying to find ways to constructively engage China and not escalate the dispute over these islands.

As a Tokyo resident, I hope the national government intervenes and nationalizes these islands before my local taxes can be wasted by a meaningless publicity stunt purchase. The islands belong to Japan, and the Japanese government can be better trusted to sustain Japan's sovereignty over them in a mature fashion.

Peace

Entirely predictable response.They are really as bad as each other. I say the Government sends Ishihara out to the islands to defend them himself if he is so keen for a fight over them. Give him a gun, some ammo and let him go for his life. Yukio Mishima will be very proud of him.

Japan is not able to defend those Islands themselves against the nuclear power China. If China wants those islands, China will take those islands, regardless who formally owns them - end of story. I reckon Ishihara thinks that the US or even Nato will jump into a war with China in that case - which makes him even crazier than his reputation. This is simply the hobby of a small, old, bitter man. Too bad there are too many like him who look up to such behavior.

Gotta love Asian harmony!

Good questions Techall.

Irresponsible? Glad to see the Chinese are keeping rational about this old twit's comments. I would have described them as childish and ridiculous.

"dochi mo dochi"

Six of one and half a dozen of the other.

Two big mouths yapping!

Ignore them!

Shintaro Ishihara told journalists this week that Beijing’s drive to take control of what Japan knows as the Senkaku Islands and China knows as Diaoyu, was a stage on their journey to get control over the whole Pacific.

LOL.... You've got to be kidding... Accusing China of attempting to take over the pacific...?

The pot calling the kettle black...? Or rather the Pot calling the Electric Thermos Black...

This is exactly why learning REAL, UN-White-Washed History about what Japan did 60 to 100 years ago is SOOOO Very Important....

What a complete moron.....

Ishihara is just a 'fossil' still living! The big picture is he has no interest with those isles belongs to Japan or China, what he really wants is to gain money for his 'party'! A neo conservatives composed by three major most unwelcome political figures! If Ishihara being honest to raise money for his 'party' he might receieves zero donations!

Ishihara is always irresponsible. No person in the world (except Japan) will look at Ishihara and think "Wow, he really is a great and an admirable man". He is the laughing stock of the entire world. Japan needs to wake up.

The trawler incident was definatel a good job has done and if Mr Noda reacted as stupid as Mr Kan, the exports of rare earth from China will soon be terminated!

SushiSake3Jun. 01, 2012 - 05:35PM JST

I agree with SushiSake on this issue. We need to set a racial issue aside to see what Ishihara (after all he may not be a moron as I thought) is trying to accomplish for long term objectives.

He is trying to change the ownership of Senkaku from individual ownership to the government ownership that has been in question, so that legallyJapan can arugue this case (territorial dispute) in front of International Court or UN.

Understandably so!

China's a basket case, be careful

China's a basket case, be careful

Well, Japan needs to take a stance to be ASSERTIVE, not aggressive. Hope that what you meant. There is a difference between the two.

Yukio Mishima will be very proud of him

Yes, if Ishihara doesn't get his way, he could always do what Mishima did and put himself out of his misery.

was a stage on their journey to get control over the whole Pacific.

That has got to be the funniest thing this week. Has anyone seen the size of Japan's EEZ. It's humongous. A few weeks back, NHK even had a program which showed these 'rocks' somewhere far south, only a few cms in diameter. They built metal railings over them. I'd hardly call Daioyutai/Senkaku part of the Pacific. More like the East China Sea.

"Ishihara, who has made a career out of provocative remarks, many of them aimed at China, last month launched a drive to collect money to buy three of the five uninhabited outcrops from their private Japanese owner."

If someone actually does privately own them, then how does China lay claim to them?

Senkaku? I think it is close to the Ryukyu Islands which come from Lyukyu in Chinese. Coincidence?

Just apply the 2 year old rule: If I saw it first, it is mine. If I touched it first, it is mine. If I liked it first, it is mine. So, knowing that China has been around much longer than Japan, it is fair to assume that the Chinese saw it first, and touched on it first, so the 2 year old rule prevails.

The islands belong to Japan. So Ishihara or City of Tokyo can buy it, no problem. I support his actions 100 %.

Senkaku Islands and China knows as Diaoyu, was a stage on their journey to get control over the whole Pacific.

May be not that far but..they're not giving up on their Spratly claim anytime soon.

The Senkaku Islands belong to Japan. I don't understand why people don't read history. Historic facts clearly shows that those islands belong to Japan.

The Meiji Japanese government formally annexed the islands in 1879. And was recognized by CHINA and Japan as the borderline between the two countries. On April 17th 1895, when China lost the war against Japan, both countries signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki, that China would cede the island to Japan. After Japan lost the Second world war in 1945, the Treaty of San Francisco, which was signed between Japan and part of the Allied Powers in 1951, Article 3 of the treaty formally put the Bonin Islands and the Ryukyu Islands, which included Okinawa and the Amami, Miyako, Senkaku, and Yaeyama Islands groups, under U.S. trusteeship. By 1972, the United States ceded of control of the islands to Japan. What does this all mean? It means that Japan formally controls the Senkaku island under internationally agreed upon laws.

If the city of Tokyo wants to buy them, it is absolutely within their rights. Ishihara is a genius, because then China will have to be the aggressor and demonstrate an ACT OF WAR to try and steal them. China who agreed with those treaties in the past now wants them. So they are liars and cheaters and now trying to steal parts of Japan.

peanut666 Jun. 02, 2012 - 01:27AM JST. The Senkaku Islands belong to Japan. I don't understand why people don't read history. Historic facts clearly shows that those islands belong to Japan..If the city of Tokyo wants to buy them, it is absolutely within their rights. Ishihara is a genius, because then China will have to be the aggressor and demonstrate an ACT OF WAR to try and steal them. China who agreed with those treaties in the past now wants them. So they are liars and cheaters and now trying to steal parts of Japan.

In 1785, Japan published a map using the same color for the Senkaku/Diayou Islands and China, while using a different color for the Kingdom of Okinawa. Further, the Japanese government’s official “Complete Ryuku Islands Map” and “Okinawan Chronicles,” published in 1874 and 1877 respectively, did not include the Diayou Islands. Only in the 1890s did the Japanese government begin to express an interest in the islands. After Japan won the war, Japan forced China to sign the Treaty of Shimanoseki in 1895 with gun in their in heads. All terms and conditions were dictated by Japan. China had no say in negotiations and you call this a fair treaty? More like stolen.

sfip330, does not matter as the Japanese probably forgot to include them. China is like a thief coming to a persons house and saying part of it belongs to them. Then saying to the homeowner a agreement to only take part of the "disputed" house.

About the agreement a future Japan could say the same about the peace treaties after WWII. The allies made them up and it was sign them or be hung. So if China gets away with this, why bother to make agreements at all? Clearly any treaty Japan has signed with China, Korea or Russia not worth the time to make.

Until China demonstrate to be a responsible member of the international community their intentions will always be seen under the wrong light. In this case specifically, they are coming across as aggressive and hegemonic (which in my opinion they are). With all the land they have why bothering Japan for few rocks that nobody cared about till now? Thus, regardless of Ishihara's character, I agree with his actions. The central government has already shown their weakness when they released the Chinese captain that spearheaded his boat into the coast guards'. Seriously, how could China even defend these criminal actions? Well, if you are a criminal at heart then you can defend them with a straight face.

peanut666

If the city of Tokyo wants to buy them, it is absolutely within their rights. Ishihara is a genius, because then China will have to be the aggressor and demonstrate an ACT OF WAR to try and steal them. China who agreed with those treaties in the past now wants them

The Japanese do legally own the rights to the islands, as sfjp330 points out they were legally signed over at Shimonoseki - the spoils of war. Which Japan would understand well, because it's quite similar to the dispute over some of the Kuril Islands they lost at the conclusion on WW2. But as far as the International community are concerned they are Japanese, which is exactly why Ishihara DOESN'T need to keep kicking up a song and dance over it - it's fait accompli. China knows it can't just go and take them. He makes Japan look provocative - a bit like the snotty nosed kid poking the lion with a stick through it's cage. It's very poor diplomacy. Actually, it's a complete lack of diplomacy and very irresponsible for a man in his position. It's certainly not genius.

Men like Ishihara will be blamed for the downfall of Japan in future history books. We will hopefully not live to see it, but China will take Japan one day. The US / Nato will be too weak to jump into WWIII over it. Then the Senkaku Islands will look like very small matter.