Press Office -
PR#106–2012, December 19, 2012 |
Japan-China Relations Surrounding the
Situation of the Senkaku Islands
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1. China's airspace incursion is extremely dangerous
(1) On December 13, China committed a further dangerous act of a Chinese State Oceanic Administration aircraft intruding Japan's airspace by flying over the Senkaku Islands . This is the first intrusion of this kind.
(2) Based on the international law, every state has complete and exclusive sovereign over the airspace above its territory. Any country can take necessary measures to stop an airspace incursion.
(3) China's intrusion of Japan's airspace constitutes an unlawful act. This is a dangerous behavior that increases the possibility of a contingency and that escalates the current situation.
(4) Japan will take a firm response to an airspace incursion under domestic laws and regulations. Japan's Air Self-Defense Forces took a countermeasure which is a standard operation procedure that is widely recognized in the international community to counter an airspace incursion by a foreign aircraft.
2. Deep concerns towards escalation of the situation caused unilaterally by China
(1) China continues to unilaterally escalate the situation. It is China that is challenging the status quo concerning the Senkaku Islands by coercion rather than by adhering to the international law. This is contrary to China's statement during the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party that “opposes hegemonism and power politics” and that it “will never seek hegemony or engage in expansion.”
(2) If China further escalates the current situation, Japan will have no choice but tso consider its future response with adequate readiness accordingly. Japan is deeply concerned that the environment to continue communications between diplomatic authorities of the two countries could be harmed.
(3) Japan strongly hopes that China will prove its diplomacy of “peacefully dealing with issues” by its own action.
3. Japan, a peace loving country, contributes to peace and prosperity in the region
(1) Japan's basic position that the Senkaku Islands belong to Japan is unshakable. At the same time, in an effort to ease tensions with China , Japan is ready to maintain close communications.
(2) Japan has consistently maintained the hallmark of a peace-loving nation after World War II, and will continuously contribute to peace and prosperity in Asia.
(END)
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