The Sino-Japanese island dispute centers on a chain of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea, claimed as Senkaku by Japan and Diaoyu by China, both of which assert historical ownership. Tensions have escalated due to nationalism, past grievances from Japan's invasion in the 1930s-40s, and recent provocative actions, including Japan's purchase of the islands. Despite negotiations, high tensions continue between the nations, with no resolution evident.

1. Sino-Japanese Island Dispute
September 20, 2012
Ashley D.
The chain of 8 uninhabited islands in the East China Sea has become the focus of a territorial
dispute between the two mighty Asian powers of China and Japan.
These islands, known as Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese, are a rich source of oil
resources and fishing grounds. Both nations hold claims that the islands have been considered
their territory since long ago. The Chinese assert that
the islands have been considered theirs since the 14th
century, when it served as important fishing grounds
and appeared on Chinese maps since the Ming
Dynasty. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs say that it
is “fully proven by history and is legally well-
founded.” However, Japan refutes that claim by
saying that they incorporated the islands into

2. Japanese territory in 1895, after winning the first Sino-Japanese War. They say that it wasn’t
until the prospect of oil resources surfaced that the Chinese authorities began to claim the lands.
After World War II, the islands came under temporary control of the US, and then were
transferred to Japan in 1972. The islands are no stranger to conflicts between China and Japan;
since the early 1970s, minor disputes occurred concerning the islands, mostly involving the two
countries’ fishing vessels.
In 2010, an intense diplomatic controversy erupted in this territory when Japanese patrol officers
arrested a whole crew of a Chinese fishing boat for allegedly ramming into Japanese Coast
Guard patrol boats. The arrested captain was eventually released only after Beijing had
threatened to postpone conferences and suspend
trade ties.
Earlier in August of this year, 14 Chinese activists
were arrested by Japan authorities for planting
China’s flag on the islands. Just recently, Japanese
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda announced that his
government is buying the islands from its private
owner, creating anger and protests from China.
The protests and demonstrations are fueled by the
historical scars and grudge that the Chinese still
hold over Japan’s brutality during their invasion of
North East China in the 1930s and 1940s. There
have been riots in numerous cities including
Shanghai and Beijing, involving the Chinese destroying
cars and stores affiliated with the Japanese. High
tensions are also rooted inboth nations’ strong sense of
nationalism and their governments’ determination in
not losing face or upsetting their volatile public; both
countries refuse to back down even when compromises
are unavoidable.

3. Currently, tension is still high as the dispute has shown no sign of improvement even after the
countries underwent negotiations and high-level meetings to ease tension.

4. Works Cited
BBC Asia. 11 September 2012. 12 September 2012 <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-
pacific-11341139>.
Branigan, Tania. The Gaurdian. 19 September 2012. 21 September 2012
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/19/china-japan-senkaku-diaoyu-islands>.
Ford, Peter. The Christian Science Monitor . 23 September 2010. 20 September 2012
<http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2010/0923/How-a-minor-China-Japan-
fishing-dispute-blew-into-a-diplomatic-hurricane>.
Ryall, Julian. telegraph. 05 September 2012. 26 September 2012
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/9521793/Japan-agrees-to-buy-
disputed-Senkaku-islands.html>.
Tatlow, Didi Kirsten. IHT Rendezvous. 19 September 2012. 21 September 2012
<http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/19/the-meaning-of-the-china-japan-
island-dispute/>.
voanews. 17 August 2012. 20 September 2012
<http://www.voanews.com/content/china_japan_island_dispute_has_long_history/14901
14.html>.
Voigt, Kevin. CNN. 22 September 2010. 10 September 2012
<http://edition.cnn.com/2010/BUSINESS/09/22/china.japan.island.dispute/index.html>.