As territorial dispute simmers, Japan monitors China warships near southern island

FoxNews.com ^ | October 17, 2012 | staff reporter

[Daffynition]

TOKYO – Japan and China are trading a new round of criticism after Japanese military aircraft spotted seven Chinese warships in waters off a southern island not far from a chain of isles at the center of a heated territory dispute. China said the ships were on a routine training mission.

The Chinese ships were sighted Tuesday about 49 kilometers (30 miles) from the island of Yonaguni, in Japan's Okinawa prefecture (state), according to Japan's Defense Ministry. They were about 200 kilometers (125 miles) from a chain of small islands that have sparked a heated dispute between Japan and China.

[Daffynition]

And we're still talking about *binders.*

[DoughtyOne]

Sure would be too bad if seven ships sank without a trace.

[DoughtyOne]

Japan could just say, “Well, we were having a training exercise too. Sorry you didn’t check with us coming that close to our territory.”

[yarddog]

I saw not too long ago on some TV program that Japan now has more destroyers in the Pacific than the U.S does.

[rmlew]

I saw not too long ago on some TV program that Japan now has more destroyers in the Pacific than the U.S does.
All of our current destroyers are Aegis equiped Arleigh Burke class. We have over 40 based in the Pacific, but many fewer are deployed there. The Japanese have 6 destroyers that are essentially Burke's made in Japan (Kongo and Atago class). They have 2 obsolete Hatakaze class air defense destroyers, which are similar to our retied Charled F Adams class. They have 2 Hyūga class helicopter destroyers, which are really 13,000 ton carriers. They also have 2 obsolete Shirane class destroyers, whose only asset are their 3 helicopters. They have 5 Shirane class and 9 Murasame class which are modern general purpose destroyers,. They have 8 Asagiri and 7 Hatsuyuki class destroyers, which are essentially general purpose frigates. Finally, they have 6 Abukuma class destroyer escort, which are essentially anti-sub frigates without helicopters.

[Forward the Light Brigade]

a little like that routine training mission the Imperial Navy conducted off Hawaii in late November, early December of 1941. Beware—the Chinese read history. One Chinese nuke could do all sorts of damage. China may act—BEFORE Mitt gets into the White House—wouldn’t you?

[hinckley buzzard]

Yes. China has reverted to its historic expansionism by claiming hegemony over the entire South China Sea, trampling on legitimate and historic sovereignties of neighboring nations. And Obama/Clinton don't even know this is happening.

[yarddog]

Thanks that is more info than I thought anyone would have.

[DoughtyOne]

I can see the response now.

Don't jump to conclusions folks. We know the missiles came from China, but they may not have been fired off at the command of the government. I have assigned a committee to look into this. Hillary Clinton is going to chair that committee. In six months we should know something. I will review the list of suggested corrections. I will then put plans into motion that will make sure we never ever offend anyone in China again. You can count on that. Justice will be... ah... well... er... yes justice!"

[rlmorel]

I read something I found interesting, that they built their Kongo class destroyers to “maritime” specifications and not military specs. I cannot find out exactly what that means, but the article stated it likely made them more seaworthy and less damage resistant.

[Daffynition]

There may be a lot of sabre rattling; with a national election approaching in Japan, and a change of leadership in China, politicians on both sides have refused to step back from the brink, afraid that they will appear weak.

Unlike ...compare/contrast the Hussein US foreign policy.

[Daffynition]

Mr Yan is the dean of International Relations at Tsinghua university: “I do not think they will send soldiers to fight against the People’s Liberation Army,” he said. “They [the US] will be involved, but they can be involved in many different ways, providing intelligence, ammunition, political support, logistical help and so on.”

[Daffynition]

[yarddog]

That Japanese ship looks like it could just tell the Chinese one to get out of town before sundown if it wanted to.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks for the context Daffynition. It was appreciated. I wasn’t aware of those dynamics.

[rmlew]

To be fair, I had some help from globalsecurity and wikipedia, especially on spelling.