Sovereign Rights And Territorial Space In Sino Japanese Relations

In September 1996, members of the right-wing Japan Youth Federation repaired a lighthouse on one of the Diaoyu (J. Senkaku) Islands, a small group of uninhabited islets north of Taiwan in the Liuqiu (J. Ryukyu) chain, known today as Okinawa. For months, outraged ethnic Chinese in Hong Kong and Taiwan protested Japan’s presence in the islands, and violent confrontations between protesters and the Japanese Marine Self-Defense Force resulted. Tension over these incidents has subsided since 1996, but the sovereignty of the islands remains a concern for both China and Japan. The long and complex history of relations between the two countries has made the problem difficult to resolve. This volatile situation has been further complicated by the involvement of other countries, including the U.S. Although the Diaoyu/Senkaku matter may be characterized as a simple territorial dispute between two nations, it exposes complicated geopolitical relations among Japan, China, Taiwan, and the U.S. in the Asia-Pacific region. Sovereign Rights and Territorial Space in Sino-Japanese Relations is an investigation of the highly topical issues involved in the Diaoyu/Senkaku confrontation. It begins by addressing the issue of the historical development of the dispute: To whom do the islands belong? When did China and Japan become involved? Does historical evidence prove who has sovereignty over the islands? How has irredentism (the claim to territory based on one or another historical “right”) become a major state policy in both countries? Other issues center on Chinese views of sovereignty and methods of delimiting territorial boundaries during the Ming and Qing periods, the Chinese concept of hegemony, and the history behind the deep mistrust that permeates Sino-Japanese relations. Finally, the author discloses the interwoven relationship between geography and history in East Asia. Chinese and Japanese geographers have for centuries been engaged in historical analyses of the islands. Their work, which has been used in the development of national security and diplomatic policies, is an important resource and one that this book makes available to Western scholars for the first time. In addition to his careful examination of these and other sources, Suganuma utilizes theoretical writings on geographical irredentism to expose the biases of recent work on the Diaoyu/Senkaku dispute. This volume is the fullest scholarly treatment that the contested issue of the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands has received to date in any language. It contains much of interest for historians of modern China and Japan as well as for political scientists looking for new insights into international relations and Sino-Japanese interactions. No one who reads it will look at sovereignty in the same way again.

Japan and China have a thousand year history of fighting each other. The relationship between the two largest economies in Asia has been distinct by tension during the 20th century due to territorial and political disputes as well as Taiwanese sovereignty; the invasion of China by Japan in the second world war and Japans subsequent refusal to acknowledge the extent of its war crimes; territorial disputes surrounding the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands and related fishing rights and energy resources; and Japanese-American security co-operation. Sino-Japanese relations are of interest to the entire East Asian region due to the fact that Japan and China are the most influential politically, militarily, economically and psychologically regionally as well as in a greater global perspective since they are among the top five economies in the world. In an economic perspective the relations between the two countries heavily affect the possibility of economic cooperation and prosperity in the region. Moreover, Sino-Japanese relations hold key importance for Northeast Asia regional security and need to be considered when looking at the larger picture of security in Asia. From an economic perspective, the Sino-Japanese relation is one of the most important in the world as both states are not only among the most powerful economies, but they are also highly interdependent. This book examines the transformation of the Sino-Japanese relationship in the Modern Era. It provides a cogent analysis of the politics of the bilateral relationship in the modern era, explaining the past, present and future of Japan-China relations during a time of massive political, social and economic changes. Good Sino-Japanese relations could facilitate increased co-operation, whereas poor relations or a breakdown in state-level relations, on the other hand, could generate conflicts beyond the bilateral relations between Japan and China. In this respect, conflict prevention and conflict management in the relations between China and Japan are not only in the interest of the region but also in that of the international community. This book will be of interest to academics and postgraduate students in Japanese studies, Chinese studies and International Relations.

This book explores the historical relationship between China and Japan, and how this has exacerbated their dispute over the Senkaku/ Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea. There are three paradoxes in the bilateral relationship � complex interdependence does not preclude the possibility of open conflict; cool-headed assessments are quickly being overtaken by nationalism and a proclivity for irrational behaviour and lastly, both countries have invested so much resources in claiming the islands, such that they have neglected the costs of conflict. These paradoxes in turn stem from two fundamental issues � differing interpretations of historical issues and the intractability of China and Japan�s positions on the island dispute. It is argued that a festering dispute over the islands � and even conflict � would undermine security in the Asia Pacific and disrupt trade in the world�s most economically vibrant market. Therefore, it behoves China and Japan to work out mutually-acceptable arrangements, not necessarily to make things better, but at the least to keep relations from getting any worse. It would be proposed, for example, that Japan accept the objective reality that there is a dispute over the islands. Together with other measures, such as a reduction of maritime activities around the islands, would build the foundation for a long-term rapprochement.

1. Japanese-Chinese relations under Cold War conditions -- 2. The rise of traditional and non-traditional security concerns -- 3. Between power balancing and enmeshment policies -- 4. The dynamics of engagement.

This book is organized in seven chapters. Chapter one looks at the origins and the causes of war. The chapter argues that war is a consequence of how we, as a species, have evolved. War has both endogenous and exogenous causes. While the former depends on our biology and psychology, the latter has to do primarily with international relations. Chapter two makes the case for the paradoxical nature of war. While war takes lives, it is legitimate under certain circumstances. For example, armed humanitarian interventions are allowed to save lives among local populations at the expense of the oppressors by employing all necessary means – ethical or not. Chapter three asks if peace among nations is achievable, which is the main theme of this book. However, it does not elaborate on the question entirely. Instead, it gives sort of a prelude of what will be discussed in the remaining of the book by talking about the concepts of world order and American hegemony, arms race, and peacebuilding. Chapter four builds on three by looking at realism, idealism, and pacifism in international relations. As to pacifism, the chapter attempts to answer the question, what was the most peaceful time in history? Chapter five presents the elements of hope for world peace by considering the role played by the following: (1) the United Nations; (2) the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO); (3) the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE); (4) the non-governmental organizations (NGOs); (5) the role of nuclear deterrence; (6) globalization; (7) transnationalism; (8) diplomacy; (9) sports; (10) international cooperation in space exploration; (11) the Nobel Prize; and (12) the declining of war and violence in modern times. On the other hand, chapter six presents the opposite argument or the barriers to world peace, using the following points: (1) the proliferation of nuclear weapons; (2) geoeconomics; (3) terrorism; (4) the global refugee crisis; (5) the profitability of arms sales; and (6) the profitability of wars. It makes an interesting argument especially as to the profitability of wars by showing how the United States, first, emerged as an imperial and a world power in the 1890s; then as the only world’s superpower after World War II. Finally, chapter seven takes a proactive approach by peering into the future of armed conflict, which is likely to take place in new environments: Cyberspace, the littoral, choke points, near space, and increasingly in expanding cities or slums War. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the Doomsday Clock, a concept stemmed from the uncertainty as to the future of mankind because of armed conflicts and which is a symbol that represents the likelihood of a man-made global catastrophe.

This book examines geopolitics in East Asia, focusing in particular on East Asia's contentious maritime territorial disputes. It examines how important factors including territory, natural resources and power relations influence state behaviour and relations between important powers including the United States, China, Japan and South Korea.

In September 1951, Japan signed a peace treaty with forty-eight countries in San Francisco; in April 1952, the treaty came into effect. The San Francisco Peace Treaty is an international agreement that in significant ways shaped the post–World War II international order in the Asia-Pacific. With its associated security arrangements, it laid the foundation for the regional structure of Cold War confrontation: the "San Francisco System" fully reflected the strategic interests and policy priorities of the peace conference’s host nation, the United States. The treaty fell far short of settling outstanding issues in the wake of the Pacific War or facilitating a clean start for the "post-war" period. Rather, critical aspects of the settlement were left equivocal, and continue to have significant and worrisome implications for regional international relations. This book examines the key developments of the contentious political and security issues in the Asia-Pacific that share a common foundation in the post-war disposition of Japan, particularly the San Francisco Peace Treaty. These include both tangible and intangible issues, such as disputes over territories and "history" problems. Taking the San Francisco System as its conceptual grounding, the authors examine how these issues developed and have remained contentious long after the San Francisco arrangements. To provide bases for producing solutions, the chapters offer comprehensive accounts that explain and deepen our understanding of these complex regional issues and the San Francisco System as a whole. By closely and systematically examining the legacy and various ramifications of the San Francisco System, this fascinating book adds to our understanding of current and growing tensions in the region. As such, it will be of great interest to students and scholars of Asian studies, history, international relations and politics.

This book examines the transformation of the Sino-Japanese relationship since 1989.