Japanese Vote Changing the Status of the Senkakus Is Causing Rising Tensions With China

In one stroke, a Japanese vote will change the status of Senkakus Island has made it a possible flashpoint for Japanese and Chinese hostilities.

An Okinawan city council decided to make the Island status as Japanese territory last Monday, which prompted Beijing to secure the islands with Chinese coast guard vessels.

The body responsible for the approval and the vote is the Ishigaki City Council in Japan's Okinawa prefecture, which Beijing claims is within its territory. In China, the Senkakus is called the Diaoyus.

Japan's NHK reported that with the bill, the name will be changed from "Tonoshiro" and "Tonoshiro Senkaku" so that confusion is avoided with a similar place in Ishigaki.

The Islands in dispute

The Senkakus are islands that are 1,200 miles to the southwest of Tokyo and have been in Japan's territory since 1972. Both nations have been claiming them for a long time, back hundreds of years too.

According to the Beijing Foreign Ministry, it said that it will send a protest against Japan because of their actions.

Zhao Lijian said that the Diaoyu islands are part of Chinese territory, it will defend the territorial sovereignty. Japan's action in this aspect of administrative re-designation is considered a provocative gesture. He is part of China's Foreign Ministry as well.

Another threat aired by the Chinese over the renaming and changing of status is the deployment of the Chinese Coast Guard to be sent to the Senkaku. These ships will be on the island by Monday.

China gave a stern warning that any change over the status quo will not have pleasant results.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday said that Japan should follow the four-principle consensus, which is avoiding incidents, and keep the stability in the East China Sea situation.

One of the principles that Japan agrees with, is that sovereignty over the Senkaku is in dispute.

When the bill accepted last Monday in Ishigaki, there was no thought about Beijing at all. Or if Beijing will pull a tantrum whenever things do not go their way.

According to the council, they agreed to the case without taking into account other nations. It was just an exercise of administrative procedures. Of course, China is going overboard as it seeks total control over vast tracts of the China sea, and the Senkaku reported Asahi Shimbun newspaper is part of Japanese territory.

Setting off China

Beijing ire is gotten if questions of dominion and control are touched on. For example, the state organ 'Global Times' is ranting of untoward action on Japan should it change the island's status.

But Li haidong says that in making alterations to the administrative designation, should cause a crisis and make everything harder. His specialty is International Relations, at the China Foreign Affairs University.

Chinese ships are seen close to the Senakaku/Diaoyu Islands, and the declaration is increasing tensions between China and Japan. A possible incident might be unavoidable as it becomes another powder keg in the East China Sea.

Yoshihide Suga, Japan's chief cabinet secretary, stressed that the islands are in Japanese control and international law too. Indicating that any response will not be drastic, but be firm and calm.

Should it become a military clash, the US is obliged to defend Japan because of a treaty. But William Choong stated the Senkakus is a potential conflict in waiting.

Will the Chinese who are subject to US attention, bring them in by a Senkakus conflict. Will the players find ways of resolution or bring in the US.