In a report that has been trending by Japan’s Kyodo News since 2024, it has been revealed that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) informed the China Coast Guard last November that it would not give up any part of the disputed Senkaku Islands, also known as “Diaoyu Islands” by China. The islands are currently part of Japan’s territory, however, the CCP has asserted Chinese sovereinty over the islands since 1971, using the disagreement to bolster anti-Japanese sentiment and nationalism in China. Meanwhile, Japan maintains that the islands have been integrated into Japanese territory since 1895 and remained part of Japan under international law after World War II.
According to the report, the CCP plans to send ships daily to the waters near the Senkaku Islands in 2024, with orders to board and inspect Japanese fishing vessels when necessary. This new development stands to escalate the disagreement and potentially lead to conflicts with Japan Coast Guard vessels. Seeking to verify the Kyodo News report, The Epoch Times referenced Chinese state media reports which indicated that Chinese leader Xi Jinping paid a visit China Coast Guard in the East China Sea and issued a call for the reinforcement of Chinese sovereignty at sea and the protection of Chinese territory, though the report did not explicitly mention the Senkaku Islands. The China Coast Guard subsequently ordered Japanese ships to stop “illegally” entering the disputed area, ramping up tension.
The Epoch Times reported statements from Yao Cheng, a U.S.-based former Chinese navy lieutenant colonel who discussed the strategic objectives of the CCP, suggesting the party is trying to distract U.S. forces while working to achieve “reunification” with Taiwan by creating various conflicts in the region. The CCP’s plans to escalate conflict have raised Japanese concerns, with the Japan Coast Guard having confirmed that Chinese Coast Guard vessels had frequently entered the disputed region, with unverified attempts to maintain individual control and sovereignty over the islands.
Other concerns stemmed from China’s move to place buoys and intrusion into Japan’s territorial waters, becoming a de facto occupation in Japan’s perspective. The China Coast Guard has allegedly pushed Japanese fishing vessels out of their territory, tailed Japanese assets and expelled them from the area. In addition, the latter move saw Chinese vessels actively turning on their automatic identification system (AIS), which previously would have been turned off to render them invisible.
The heightened tension has also reflected in the public sentiment in Japan as a December poll by the Japanese Cabinet Office cited rising concerns over the issue. Finally, a call for 2024 to be the year Japan asserts its sovereignty over the Senkaku Islands was seen in their Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s statement whereby they would make an effort to defend their territories and airspace as well.