Chinese - Japanese Tensins Are Escalating Dangerously In The Sky

Japan scrambled fighter jets against Chinese planes far more frequently in the last quarter of 2012, underscoring growing concerns that the territorial dispute between the two nations is escalating into more dangerous tensions in the sky.

The increase shows Tokyo is responding aggressively to Chinese planes entering areas inside and outside of what Japan considers its airspace over the East China Sea, where the two neighbors have squabbled bitterly over a group of small uninhabited islands known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China.

Japan's Self Defense Forces on Thursday said the air force conducted 91 scrambles against Chinese aircraft in the three-month period, the largest quarterly tally since Tokyo started disclosing such data in 2005. For decades, Japan has routinely dispatched fighter jets to keep foreign aircraft—mostly Russian jets—out of its airspace, but the rising number of scrambles against Chinese planes is relatively new.
During the first three quarters of the year that ends in March, Japan conducted 160 scrambles against Chinese planes, compared with 156 in the year ended March 2012, and 54 in the prior year. The latest quarterly number was up from 54 scrambles for the July-September period and 15 for April-June.
Diplomatic dialogue between the two nations aimed at resolving the dispute has been largely put on hold following a Chinese leadership change in November and a Japanese one in December.
In a subtle initial effort by Japan's new government to reach out to China, the leader of a small party in the ruling coalition is visiting Beijing this week, carrying a letter from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Xi Jingping, China's new leader.

DoD: No plans to deploy CV-22 to Japan, for now

The deployment CV-22 Ospreys to Japan is far from certain, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta’s office said late Friday.
In a statement, Panetta’s office walked back a comment from Air Force Secretary Michael Donley on Friday that the tilt-rotor aircraft were headed to Japan. Donley did not say when the CV-22s would deploy.
“Any deployment of the Air Force CV-22 to the Asia-Pacific region is years away and no construction has begun to support such a deployment. The CV-22 is a Special Operations variant of the Osprey; as a Special Operations platform the demands for this capability are fluid and constantly changing to react to world events,” the statement said. “The United States has not notified the Government of Japan about the CV-22 because we have not made a basing decision.”
The Marine Corps late last year deployed MV-22 Ospreys to Okinawa, despite safety concerns raised by the Japanese governments and local protests. Japanese officials highlighted recent Osprey crashes, including the June 2012 crash of an Air Force CV-22 during a training mission at Hurlburt Field, Fla.

Japan scrambles eight fighter jets to intercept Chinese plane near Diaoyus

Japan scrambled fighter jets on Saturday to head off a Chinese state-owned plane that flew near the disputed Diaoyu islands, which Japan calls the Senkakus, a Japanese Defence Ministry spokesman said.
Japanese jets were mobilised after a Chinese maritime aircraft ventured 120 kilometres north of islands at about noon, the spokesman said.
The Chinese Y-12 twin-turboprop later left the zone without entering Japanese airspace, he added.
It was the first time Japanese fighters had been scrambled this year to counter Chinese aircraft approaching the islands, the spokesman said.
Japan dispatched eight F-15 fighter jets to the area on December 13 after its coast guard spotted a Chinese marine surveillance plane near the isles, with its foreign ministry describing the flight as a "further dangerous act" that "escalates the situation". China protested a day later that Japanese military planes entered its airspace near the islands.
The dispute over control of the islands in the East China Sea has strained relations between Asia's two biggest economies and stoked fears of an arms build-up in the region. Japan's new prime minister, Shinzo Abe, vowed in his New Year message to "defend our land, airspace and territorial waters".

Abe also held meetings with officials on Saturday to discuss how to intercept Chinese planes near the disputed islands, ribenxinwen.com reported yesterday.
The latest crisis in the longstanding dispute was triggered by the Japanese government's purchase in September of three of the disputed islands from their private Japanese owner.
China last month filed a report with the United Nations detailing grounds for its sovereignty claims over the islands in an area rich in oil, gas and fish

Japan Sends Fighter Jets In Response To Another Chinese Incursion Into Their Disputed Airspace

China's first ever invasion of Japan's airspace happened just weeks ago, but the move appears to becoming a routine addition to the burgeoning standoff.

The AFP now reports:

Japan scrambled fighter jets on Saturday to head off a Chinese state-owned plane that flew near islands at the centre of a dispute between Tokyo and Beijing, a Japanese Defense Ministry spokesman said.

The Japanese jets were mobilized after a Chinese maritime aircraft ventured some 120 kilometres (74 miles) north of the Senkaku islands, which China calls the Diaoyus, at around 12:00 pm (0300 GMT), the spokesman said. The Chinese Y-12 twin-turboprop later left the zone without entering Japanese airspace over the islands, he added. It was the first time Japanese fighter jets had been scrambled this year to counter Chinese aircraft approaching the islands, the spokesman said.

This second round of confrontation in the skies comes after Japan dispatched eight fighter jets last month after provocations in the same region of the South China Sea.

As Taiwan also lays claims to the islet, and its supposed billions in oil and gas deposits, China's increasing its presence and also backing its claims by sending the newest warship it has to the region.

The Taiwan-owned China Times reports the Liuzhou Type 054A warship entered the South China Sea Fleet of China's PLA Navy just days ago, making it the sixth 054 warship in the area.

Though the Type 054A is not a new design, this most recently commissioned vessel will have the latest technological advantages.

From China Times: 

Liuzhou is currently considered one of China's most advanced surface combat Type 054A vessels. It has a stealthy hull design with sloped surfaces and radar absorbent materials. Equipped with a medium-range air defense missile system, the vessel is capable of destroying air targets at a distance up to 50 km. Although it is not as lethal as the Russian-built Sovremenny class and domestic destroyers, the new frigate still serves well as a multi-role warship in the Chinese fleet.

Among all 16 frigates in the same class and currently in the service of the PLA Navy, Liuzhou is the newest addition. Since Liuzhou is commanded by the South Sea Fleet, which is based in Zhanjiang of Guangdong province, analysts believe that its primary mission is to protect Chinese interests in the disputed South China Sea. The mainland and five other countries — Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei — have competing claims to the region's islands and atolls.

The Liuzhou's deployment comes days after the U.S. vowed to increase its military presence in the Philippines and China's ensuing outrage over the decision.

The warship carries an array of sophisticated weapons including anti-submarine ordnance and stealth features allowing it to evade radar and move undetected.

Japan mulls spy drones for East China Sea

JAPAN is considering introducing US spy drones to boost surveillance of its territorial waters near islands in the East China Sea at the centre of a bitter dispute with Beijing, Kyodo News says. 

 
The Japanese defence ministry hopes to introduce the unmanned Global Hawk aircraft by 2015 "in a bid to counter China's growing assertiveness at sea, especially when it comes to the Senkaku Islands", the news agency said, citing unnamed government officials.
Beijing has been sending maritime patrol vessels into waters around the Japanese-controlled islands, which China claims as Diaoyu, since Tokyo nationalised the chain in September.
China is apparently seeking to prove that it can come and go in the area at will, and on Monday three of Beijing's ships were spotted in the waters around the islands, according to Japan's coastguard, in the latest perceived incursion.

An earlier report on Monday said China has transferred two destroyers and nine other former navy vessels to its maritime surveillance fleet.

Patriot performs flawlessly in Japan test firings

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) continued its track record of successfully test firing Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) Patriot Air and Missile Defense System during its annual training exercise at McGregor Range, N.M. The exercise included target engagement and firings of Patriot in stressing tactical mission scenarios.

"The results of this annual exercise speak to the operational readiness of Patriot and the solid collaboration of this dedicated government-industry team," said Sanjay Kapoor, vice president for Integrated Air and Missile Defense at Raytheon's Integrated Defense Systems business.

"Raytheon is committed to its partnership with JASDF, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and the U.S. Army, working together to ensure that Japan has the most robust air and missile defense capability and training for its forces."

JASDF's Annual Service Practice was held from Sept. 22 through Nov. 3, with approximately 380 JASDF personnel participating. The exercise included a VIP visit and viewing by Japan Commander of the Northern Air Defense Forces and the Defense and Air Attache from the Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C.

Japan is one of 12 nations that have selected the combat-proven Patriot as a key component of their air and missile defense program.

Raytheon is the prime contractor for both domestic and international Patriot Air and Missile Defense Systems and system integrator for Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles. MHI is the prime contractor for Patriot in Japan and manufactures the Guidance Enhanced Missile and related ground equipment for Japan under a license agreement with Raytheon.

Japan to develop missile-detecting drone: report

Japan is planning to develop an unmanned drone that could help detect a North Korean nuclear missile attack and to counter China's military buildup, a report said on Sunday.

The defence ministry has demanded 3 billion yen ($372 million) over the next four years to develop the aircraft, which would come into operation in 2020, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported without citing sources.
The development of the drone, which will be equipped with an infrared sensor to seek out low-altitude missiles, comes after Japan failed to detect North Korea's failed rocket launch in April.
The launch, described by Pyongyang as an attempt go put a satellite into orbit but condemned by world leaders as a disguised ballistic missile test, saw the rocket disintegrate over the Yellow Sea just two minutes after launch.
But Japan was forced to rely on information from the United States and media reports after its own detection systems failed.

Japanese officials later said its alert system could not detect the rocket because of its low-altitude flight path.
Japan is also embroiled in a tense territorial dispute with China over a group of islands known as the Senkakus in Japan and Diaoyus in China.
Chinese vessels have moved in and out of what Japan says is its sovereign territory over the last two months, with six Chinese government ships sailing into the Japanese-controlled waters on Friday and four cruising into the same area on Sunday, according to the Japanese coastguard.

Japan, US to cancel island drill: report

Tokyo - Japan and the US are dropping plans for a joint drill to simulate the retaking of a remote island from foreign forces amid a row between Tokyo and Beijing over a disputed archipelago, a report said.

The governments are set to cancel the drill as it could provoke further anger from China after a row escalated when Japan last month nationalised some of the disputed islands, also claimed by Beijing, Jiji Press reported late Friday.

The decision to cancel the drill, which would have involved an island that is not part of the disputed chain, was in line with the views of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's office, the news agency quoted government sources as saying.

No official was immediately available for comment at the Japanese defence ministry.

According to earlier Japanese news reports, the exercise would have been part of broader joint Japan-US manoeuvres due to start in early November.

The drill would have used an uninhabited island, Irisunajima, near the main Okinawan island in southern Japan, and would have seen Japanese and US troops make an amphibious and airborne landing, the reports said.

Like the disputed islands, tiny Irisunajima is also in the East China Sea but hundreds of kilometres (miles) away from the archipelago at the centre of the row between China and Japan.

Japan and China have long been at loggerheads over the sovereignty of the rocky outcrops known as the Senkakus in Japan and Diaoyus in China.

The Tokyo-administered island chain is uninhabited, but the seabed below them is thought to contain valuable natural resources, such as oil.

The dispute flared in August and September with landings by nationalists from both sides and the subsequent nationalisation of the islands by Tokyo

Seven Chinese Navy warships skirt Okinawa

Seven Chinese warships passed Tuesday through Japan's contiguous zone, a band of water just outside the nation's territorial waters, near an Okinawa island, the Defense Ministry said.

 http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20121017a3.html

The ships, including destroyers and frigates, were spotted at around 7 a.m. sailing from the Pacific Ocean to the East China Sea about 49 km south-southeast of Yonaguni Island, which is 110 km east of Taiwan.

The seven vessels confirmed by Maritime Self-Defense Force P-3C reconnaissance aircraft were heading north-northeast south of the disputed Senkaku Islands, according to the ministry.

Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto told reporters he was unsure of the purpose of the flotilla. "At present, we don't see any helicopters flying from the vessels," he added.

It is the first time Chinese naval vessels have been spotted in the 22-km-wide contiguous zone between Yonaguni and Iriomote islands, the ministry said.

Sailing in the contiguous zone, which connects to 12-nautical mile territorial waters, poses no problem under international law. In the zone, Japan can apply its laws for customs procedures and immigration control.


Sources said the Chinese warships did not intend to provoke the Self-Defense Forces or enter the contiguous zone near the Senkakus, which Japan controls but China claims.

The Defense Ministry suspects the task force may have passed the area to avoid a typhoon.

Big U.S. Fleet Nears Disputed Islands, But What For?

It’s probably just a coincidence; no need to worry yet. But the U.S. has quietly assembled a powerful air, land and sea armada not far from where Japan and China are squaring off over disputed islands in the East China Sea.
Two Navy aircraft carrier battle groups and a Marine Corps air-ground task force have begun operating in the Western Pacific, within easy reach of the Senkaku Islands. That’s where Japanese and Chinese patrol boats are engaged in an increasingly tense standoff.
Chinese vessels have repeatedly entered territorial waters around the small islands in recent weeks and Coast Guard vessels from Japan and Taiwan fired water cannons at each other last week. The islands are controlled and administered by Japan, but claimed by both China and Taiwan.
No warships have been directly involved in the confrontations, so far. But China has vowed to continue sending patrol vessels into territorial waters and Japan has assembled scores of Coast Guard vessels to “defend” the islands.
The U.S. hasn’t taken sides in the ownership dispute, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called for “cooler heads” to prevail. Nonetheless, U.S. officials have stated clearly that the Senkakus fall under the U.S.-Japan security treaty, which would require the U.S. to come to Japan’s aid in case of attack.
Navy officials confirmed Sunday that the USS George Washington carrier strike group has begun operating in the East China Sea, near the disputed islands. The USS John C. Stennis group is only slightly further away in the South China Sea. Each carrier is armed with more than 80 warplanes, and strike groups typically include guided-missile cruisers and destroyers, submarines and supply ships.

In the nearby Philippine Sea, some 2,200 Marines are embarked aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard and two escorts. The Marines are equipped with amphibious assault vehicles, light armored vehicles, artillery, helicopters and Harrier fighter jets.
Carrier groups and Marine task forces often operate alone, so the convergence of the three groups in a relatively small part of the Pacific represents an unusual concentration of firepower. All three are fresh from training exercises in and around Guam. Those exercises included live-fire with missiles and joint beach landings by U.S. Marines and Japanese ground troops.
A spokesman for the U.S. Pacific Command says the training missions and carrier deployments are not necessarily related to the Senkaku tensions.  The islands are called Diaoyu in China, and Tiaoyutai in Taiwan.
“These operations are not tied to any specific event,” said Capt. Darryn James, a spokesman for the U.S. Pacific Command in Honolulu.  “As part of the U.S. commitment to regional security, two of the Navy’s 11 global force carrier strike groups are operating in the Western Pacific to help safeguard stability and peace.”
In truth, the carrier and Marine deployments may have as much to do with the “re-balancing” of U.S. forces in the Asia-Pacific region, and with an unrelated crisis in the Middle East, as with the squabble in the East China Sea.
The George Washington battle group and the Marine task force, both based in Japan, were scheduled to conduct separate but overlapping exercises in the Guam region well before the Senkaku dispute heated up. Guam and nearby Tinian Island have been tabbed as a hub for the “re-balancing” of U.S. forces in the region — a hedge against China’s growing military power and ambitions in the region.
The Stennis is being sent from its homeport in Washington state to the Persian Gulf, four months ahead of schedule in response to the escalating crisis over Iran’s nuclear program. The Guam exercises allowed the Stennis to grab a few days of extra training with the George Washington group en route. The Senkakus are situated close to the major sea routes from Pacific to Mideast; it is unclear if the Stennis group is simply passing, by or will remain awhile.
The Marines, meanwhile, were expected to move from Guam to the Philippines for previously scheduled training with the Philippines military.
Navy spokesman James said he could not comment on future ship movements.
Although significant oil and gas deposits may exist within the islands’ territorial waters or exclusive economic zone, the Senkaku dispute has centered largely on old grievances and resurgent nationalism. U.S. officials have privately expressed frustration with the lack of diplomatic progress in resolving the dispute. China placed two-page ads in major U.S. newspapers this weekend, accusing Japan of “stealing” the islands and citing claims that date back hundreds of years.
The Senkakus are located about 100 miles (160 km) northeast of Taiwan and about 200 miles (320 km) east of the Chinese mainland.
While the big U.S. fleet might have been intended as a warning to China not to escalate the islands dispute, it may have been intended to focus Japan’s attention, as well.

Australia Likely To Buy Subs From Japan

      Japan and Australia are likely to confirm a defense technology deal involving the technology transfer of Japan’s highly regarded diesel-electric AIP Soryu submarine, according to the Japan Security Watch. This deal is an outgrowth of the relaxing of the arms export restrictions that took place late last year.

      The two could collaborate on maritime domain, particularly in terms of Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW). When the two countries held their first bilateral defense exercises recently they engaged in ASW exercises, something they have also done so with the US in trilateral exercises.

      According to the Australian press, the Japanese could in a joint partnership to outfit the Royal Australian Navy with 12 submarines similar to the highly regarded Japanese diesel-electric mid-sized Soryuu submarine.

      There had been numerous maintenance and technical issues with Australia’s Collins-class submarines, hence a desire this time around to acquire a proven platform.

Japan, Taiwan Trade Water Cannon Fire Near Disputed Islands

Japan’s deputy foreign minister is in Beijing for consultations with China about a group of hotly contested islands in the East China Sea known as Diaoyu in China and Senkaku by the Japanese.

As the meetings took place and officials made an effort to ease tensions, the Japanese coast guard fired water cannons at a group of Taiwanese fishing boats, the latest confrontation on the islands.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei decribed the discussions between Vice Foreign Ministers Chikao Kawai and Zhang Zhijun as frank and in depth.

According to Hong, during the meeting, Zhang Zhijun asserted that the Diaoyu Islands and its affiliated islands have been China’s sacred territory since ancient times and that there is ample historical and legal evidence of that.  He said with regard to China’s repeated representations on this, Japan has turned a blind eye to these historical facts and international law.  He warned Japan to "correct its mistakes with concrete actions."

Earlier, Japan fired water cannons on 40 fishing boats and eight coast guard vessels from Taiwan.  Japan’s Defense Minister said managing ship incursions into the waters is a top priority for his country.


Japan has to think of how to deal with the ships arriving from China and Taiwan to the islands, he said, and how to keep Sino-Japanese relations stable.

When asked about the Taiwan boats, Hong said Chinese fishermen have the right to work in the contested waters, adding that the Chinese government is resolute and firm in defending its territorial sovereignty.

The Japanese Coast Guard says the Taiwan fishing vessels have left the disputed waters.

Fishing rights in the waters have long been a source of friction between Japan and Taiwan.  Tensions between Japan and China also rose after Japan bought the disputed islands, a source for potential energy resources, from a private owner.  The move prompted protests in many Chinese cities.

According to China’s state-run news agency, Xinhua, China’s presumptive next president, Xi Jinping, has urged Japan to stop what he called its “wrong behaviors.”

Although few authorities expect the dispute to escalate to military confrontation, China sent its first aircraft carrier into service Tuesday, in a move the ministry of defense says will increase the operational strength of the Chinese navy.

Pentagon Statement on MV-22 Operations Agreement with Japan

Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs George Little provided the following statement:

"Secretary Panetta is pleased that we have been able to reach agreement with the Government of Japan that permits the Osprey to commence flight operations in Japan. This agreement was the result of a deep partnership and thorough process that allowed both sides to reconfirm the safety of the aircraft. It is a testament to the strength and maturity of our Alliance, which remains the cornerstone for peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

"Secretary Panetta has placed a high priority on reaching this agreement, directed numerous senior officials at the Department of Defense to work on this issue over the past several months, and raised the issue in multiple discussions with Foreign Minister Gemba and Defense Minister Morimoto, including earlier this week.

"The Osprey will provide a critical capability that strengthens the United States' ability to defend Japan, perform humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, and fulfill other Alliance roles. With twice the speed, three times the payload, and four times the range, the Osprey will make a major contribution in upgrading the capabilities of the Alliance."

China, Japan heading towards war, says US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta

CHINA and other Asian countries could end up at war over territorial disputes if governments keep up their "provocative behaviour", US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has said.
Speaking to reporters before arriving in Tokyo on a trip to Asia, Mr Panetta appealed for restraint amid mounting tensions over territorial rights in the East China Sea and the South China Sea.
"I am concerned that when these countries engage in provocations of one kind or another over these various islands, that it raises the possibility that a misjudgment on one side or the other could result in violence, and could result in conflict," Mr Panetta said, when asked about a clash between Japan and China.
"And that conflict would then have the potential of expanding."
The Pentagon chief's trip coincides with an escalating row between Asia's two largest economies over an archipelago in the East China Sea administered by Tokyo under the name Senkaku and claimed by China under the name Diaoyu.


Tensions have steadily mounted since pro-Beijing activists were arrested and deported after landing on one of the islands in August. Japanese nationalists then followed, raising their flag on the same island days later.
On Tuesday, Japan announced it had nationalised three of the islands in the chain, triggering protests in China. Tokyo already owns another and leases the fifth.
The uninhabited islands are in important sea lanes and the seabed nearby is thought to harbour valuable mineral resources.
Sometimes violent demonstrations have been held in China near diplomatic missions in the days since Tokyo's announcement, although there have been no reports of deaths or serious injuries.
Hong Kong broadcaster Cable TV showed footage of clashes on Sunday in Shenzhen between riot police and demonstrators, with some holding a banner calling for a "bloodbath" in Tokyo.
Mr Panetta is due to hold talks on Monday with his Japanese counterpart, where the dispute is expected to top the agenda, before heading to China, then New Zealand.
Territorial disputes in the South China Sea also have Washington worried, as China has refused to withdraw claims to virtually all of the strategic waterway and has been accused of bullying smaller states in the area.
The Philippines and Vietnam have alleged Beijing has used intimidation to push its claims in the South China Sea, through which about half of the world's cargo passes.

China Warns Japan Over Purchase of Disputed Islands

China has again strongly criticized the purchase of three disputed islands in the East China Sea by Japan and threatened Tokyo with “serious consequences” caused by this “illegal unilateral decision.”
Japan formally announced on Monday a decision to buy three of the five disputed Senkaku islands, called Diaoyu in China, from the Kurihara family for 2.05 billion yen ($26.1 million).
“The Chinese government solemnly announces that the attempt to purchase the islands is absolutely illegal and invalid,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement early on Tuesday.
“It can never change the historical facts of Japan’s aggression and occupation of Chinese territory and China’s sovereignty on the Diaoyu Islands and its affiliated islets,” the statement said, adding that Japan will be fully responsible for any serious consequences caused by its unilateral action.
The disputed islands in the East China Sea, which are also claimed by Taiwan, lie on a vital shipping route and are surrounded by large hydrocarbon deposits beneath them.

Japan says it has controlled the islands since 1895 until its surrender at the end of World War II. The islands were controlled by the United States from 1945 to 1972 and subsequently returned to Japan’s control. China claims the islands’ discovery and control since the 14th century.
China and Taiwan started to lay claims on the islands in the 1970s when surveys showed the area was rich in hydrocarbons.
Tensions flared between Tokyo and Beijing, after Japan arrested last month 14 Chinese nationals, including activists from Hong Kong, and deported them over a protest landing on Uotsuri, the largest of a group of disputed isles.

Japanese Type 10 Main Battle Tank (MBT) Debuts in Military Exercise

                                    Japanese Type 10 Main Battle Tank (MBT).

Asian Defence News

Tokyo Signals Defense Shift To Disputed Islands

Tokyo unveiled plans on Friday to seek more national funding for vessels and manpower to enhance their presence in remote islands, a move believed to be aimed at beefing up their claim over China's Diaoyu Islands.

Amid escalating tensions between China and Japan over the islands in the East China Sea, the Japanese Coast Guard on Friday released plans to seek more money in the 2013 financial year to purchase four patrol ships to equip the major forces engaged in “safeguarding territorial waters”, Japan’s Jiji Press News Agency said.

Japan will buy another three large patrol vessels to deal with any ships protesting its territorial claims and will add about 150 military personnel to “beef up maritime guarding and antidisaster mechanisms”.
The Japanese Defense Ministry on Friday said it requested 4.57 trillion yen ($58 billion) in budget appropriations for the year starting next April 1, down 1.7 percent from the current budget.


But the ministry plans to earmark 2.5 billion yen in next year’s budget to buy four armored amphibious vehicles, which could be used to counter threats against remote islands.

“In Japan’s southwest, for example, there are many small islands. It is just not feasible to deploy troops to each island,” a ministry official said.

Zhou Yongsheng, an expert on Japanese studies at China Foreign Affairs University, said Tokyo was backing it’s diplomacy up with action.

“Tokyo is now tweaking its defense emphasis to enhance deployment in the region to back its diplomacy, and Tokyo’s policy priorities still largely lie in diplomacy (rather than defense affairs),” Zhou said.

Tokyo engaged in a sweeping update of its national defense policies two years ago, and it has been bolstering its defense posture in its southwest, where it has laid claim over China’s Diaoyu Islands, a traditional fishing ground for generations of Chinese fishermen and known for potentially large gas reserves.

Ties between China and Japan have been strained since 2010, when a Chinese trawler collided with two Japanese Coast Guard patrol vessels.

The trawler’s captain was held by Japanese authorities for what Tokyo called “illegal fishing” off the islands.

In mid-August this year, Japan’s Coast Guard patrol ships rammed into a Chinese boat from Hong Kong carrying around 14 Chinese nationals to assert China’s sovereignty.

Several of the protesters on board the vessel jumped into the sea and managed to swim ashore. Japan illegally detained the activists after some of them landed on the Diaoyu Islands.

Japan also has an overlapping territorial claim with South Korea over islands located about midway between the two countries, which Seoul calls Dokdo and Tokyo calls Takeshima.

Japan had a tense diplomatic spat with South Korea after South Korean President Lee Myung-bak visited the islands last month.


“The new budget plans may have a minor effect on relations, but the effect will not be big enough to trigger immediate confrontation between Tokyo and Beijing or between Tokyo and Seoul”, Zhou Yongsheng said.

Last month, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda vowed to protect all of Japan’s territories and waters, but also said the government would deal with territorial disputes calmly. Liu Yedan and Reuters contributed to this story

Russian Warships Visit Japan

A Russian Navy group has visited Japan’s naval base Maizuru and is on its way to the home port of Vladivostok, a Pacific Fleet spokesman said on Saturday.

The destroyer Admiral Panteleyev, the tanker Boris Butoma and the salvage tug Fotiy Krylov from the Pacific Fleet completed a four-day visit after taking part in the international RIMPAC naval exercise in the United States’ Pearl Harbor.
An official Russian delegation met in Maizuru with the commander of the naval base, the city mayor and other officials, Capt. 1st Rank Roman Martov said.
A group of Japan’s warships will pay a reciprocal visit to Vladivostok starting on September 23 and will participate in a number of joint naval drills with the Russian Navy, he added.


The 2012-RIMPAC drills, held between July 11 and August 1, involved 45 warships and support vessels from 22 countries, as well as 100 combat aircraft and over 20,000 marines.

The exercise comprised dozens of combat missions and exercises, including humanitarian, search and rescue operations. RIMPAC-2012 also practiced evacuation of civilians in an amphibious landing operation, as well as joint anti-submarine and anti-aircraft defense.

Kiwi, Australian and Japanese Navies Work Together

The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) has successfully completed a short tri-lateral exercise with Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force and the Royal Australian Navy.

In what is believed to be a first for the RNZN, the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) ship JS SHIMAKAZE has been refuelled at sea from HMNZS ENDEAVOUR.

HMNZS TE KAHA and ENDEAVOUR conducted a number of training manoeuvres with HMAS DARWIN and PERTH and JMSDF JS SHIMAKAZE enroute to Darwin, Australia. Exercise Pacific Bridge, was conducted on passage between Guam and Darwin from 22-28 August.

It has been an unique opportunity for the three nations to operate jointly and further enhance the tactical level of working together conducting ship manoeuvring and warfare training scenarios, says Commanding Officer of HMNZS ENDEAVOUR, Commander Keith Robb.


"Pacific Bridge was an excellent opportunity for the RNZN to work closely with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force and Royal Australian Navy. This was amplified by the signing of the agreement allowing the NZ Defence Force to refuel the JMSDF at sea for the first time.

"It was a natural extension of the partnership fostered by the three nations in Exercise RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific) which took place in the Hawaiian waters last month."

South Korea Rejects Japan Island Proposal

South Korea rejected on Thursday morning Japan’s proposal to take the two countries’ territorial dispute over the Takeshima Islands to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), according to Japan's Kyodo news agency.
South Korea said “no territorial dispute exists over Dokdo,” using the islands’ Korean name, noting that the territories have been historically, geographically and legally South Korean, the Yonhap news agency reported, quoting Seoul’s Foreign Ministry.
Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba described the South Korean refusal as “unfortunate,” adding the government intends to take “appropriate measures” to resolve the dispute, possibly including a unilateral submission of the case to the ICJ in The Hague.

Tokyo submitted the proposal – its third attempt to settle the matter – on August 21. The last attempt was in 1962. Both parties are required to give consent in order for the case to be sent to court.
Japan laid claim to the islands, located in the western part of the Sea of Japan, after World War II. The area is also known as the Liancourt Rocks.