By: Jeff Head
September 18, 2012
The Diaoyu Islands are a small chain of islands that lie between Taiwan (Formosa) and Guam Island. In 1895 the Japanese landed there, and finding them uninhabited, claimed them for the Empire of Japan. The Japanese exerted control over the island until losing World War II.
Map of the location of the Diaoyu Islands
After their defeat by the United States and her allies, Japanes ceded control of the Islands to US Administrative Control. When the Island of Guam was returned to Japan, these islands were also returned by the United States. But, at, or soon after those events, claims by first The Republic of China (which had located onto Taiwan after they were driven off of the mainland when they lost the revolutionary war in China) and the mainland People's Republic of China were made.
The largest Diaoyu Island
Typical Diaoyu Islands
None the less, Japan continued to control and claim the Islands, where it is thought that significant gas, oil and potentially other natural resources exist in some abundance near the Islands.
Japense Maritime Self Defense Force P-3 Patrol Plane near the Diaoyu Islands
On August 16, 2012, several Chinese activists attempted, and some landed on the Diaoyu Islands and were immediately interdicted, and/or apprehended by Japanese Coast Guard Vessels.
Japanese Coast Guard Vessels interdicts Chinese activist vessel
Japanese Coast Guard personnel apprehend and arrest Chinese activists who landed on the islands
Pictures of the interdiction and arrests, which many Chinese felt was heavy handed, caused large protests in China beginning August 19th regarding the interdiction and arrest of the Chinese by Japanese Coast Guard personnel.
Chinese citizens protesting the arrest of Chinese citizens by the Japnese Coast Guard
As a result, in late August and into September of 2012, the Chinese announced that their Maritime Surveillance Patrol vessels would begin patrolling the islands more regularly. The Japanese Coat Guard responded by announcing that their Coast Guard vessels would protect the soveriegnty of the islands.
Chinese Maritime Surveillance Vessels to patrol the Diaoyu Islands
Japanese Coast Guard vessels to protect the integrity of the Diaoyu Islands
As a result, there have been numerous confrontations between these vessels where armed Japanese Coast Guard vessels have interdicted or shadowed the generally unarmed Chinese Maritime Surveillance vessels.
Japanese Coast Guard vessel interdicts Chinese Maritime Surveillance vessel
During the week of September 10, 2012, the Japanese government purchased the Islands outright from the Japanese private cistizens who owned them, declaring the islands as Japanese soverign territory.
Japanese purchase and annnounce the national soverignty of the Diaoyu Islands
This resulted in much more massive and wide spread anti-Japanese protests throughout China, particularly on September 15-16, 2012. Chinese Police were called in to protect the Japanese embassy and consulates, and Japanese shops and stores. Despite this, protesters broke through police lines in several instances and destroyed Japanese shops and stores in China.
Chinese Citizens protest the Japnese purchase and nationalization of the Diaoyu Islands
Chinese Citizens protest Japanese actions, contending with Chinese Police
Chinese Citizens protest Japanese actions, contending with Chinese Police
Chinese Citizens protest Japanese actions, contending with Chinese Police
Chinese Citizens break through Police lines and destroy Japanese businesses and shops
In an escalation, and a plan to overwhelm the Chinese Coast Guard, hundreds of fishing vessels began gathering in Chinese ports to sail to the Islands in a massive protest, gathering on September 17, 2012 and setting sail towards the Islands on September 18th.
Chinese Fishing vessels gathering to set sail for the Diaoyu Islands
Chinese Fishing vessels sailing towards the Diaoyu Islands
This is turning into a serious, escalating situation. Both political leaderships of the two countries are facing election or leadership turnover and are not of a mind to back down. To date, neither official military force, the PLAN (People's Liberation Army Navy) or the JMSDF (Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force) have become involved. But the Japaense Coast Guard is armed and one can see how this highly emotional event could lead to collissions, more confrontations and arrests, and potential violence.
If that happens and either one or the other deploys their military forces, a major crisis involving potential naval and air combat between the two nations could occur.
The next few days as the large number of fishing vessels converge on the Islands and are confronted by the Japanese Coast Guard vessels, will be indicative of how this crisis may play out. Let's all hope that cooler heads prevail.
From the Japanese perspective, perhaps letting these fishing vessels come near to, pass around, protest, and make their statement without interference would be the best way to avoid conflict. They clearly will not be able to inhabit and claim the islands. Letting them sail around a few days and ultimately depart may be the best way to ease tensions and lead to constructive talks about what the two nations will do through negotiations as opposed to the rising potential of armed conflict.
From the Chinese perspective, interdicting that large fleet of fishing vessels with their own Coast Guard or Navt, which fishing boats seem intent on violating what Japan considers to be its soverign territory and avoid the potential confronttions that are sure to ensue, may well be the best course. Such an action on their part could equally lead to an easing of tensions and the potential for talks and negotiations to open up over the issue.
But those are the conditions as of September 18, 2012.