In the port of the southern Japan island of Ishigaki, rests the mortal danger carelessly on the pier. A Fisherman has pulled a Fugu from the pool and next to your chair on the floor. The puffer fish must be prepared in Japan only by specialists, because it contained the poison Tetrodotoxin to kill an average of five Japanese people per year. “Yes, it is a Fugu”, is confirmed by the Angler, laughs shortly, and looks back to their fishing in the harbour basin. There, in the morning seven patrol ships and three patrol boats of the Japanese coast anchors of this January’s watch. In the case of sub-tropical 22 degrees Celsius in January, they act as a reminder for the vacationers that it can, apart from the Fugu North-West of the port basin is also very threatening.
170 km of Ishigaki, situated at five Islands and three rocks that could not only bring great danger to peace in the Region. You could even have a war between the super powers, China and Japan’s protector, the United States makes to trigger. The island group is called by the Japanese the Senkaku and the Chinese Diaoyu. Both countries and Taiwan claim them and the surrounding waters. The rocky Islands that are currently inhabited only by wild goats, is not very attractive. The Gas and Oil reserves in your area are likely to exert a greater appeal. China has already begun to promote the 16 drilling platforms Gas. Japan has recently protested against this procedure in Beijing. Some observers suspect, however, that China is in the conflict to gain control over the Miyako Strait, to go by easier with his military fleet and fishing on the open waters of the Pacific to boot.
The territorial dispute festers unresolved. As Japan in 2012, its claim to the Islands is underpinned by it was bought for a private man, it came out in China to government-endorsed anti-Japanese demonstrations. Also, Japanese cars were set on fire.
The territorial dispute will take place against the Background of a largely unresolved colonial past of Japan in China and the growing rivalry between the regional power of Japan and the new world China. Beijing has been mightily upgraded, from 1992 to 2017, the military budget grew by 740 percent. The second largest economy in the world was, according to the latest report by the peace research Institute Sipri in the year 2017, an estimated $ 228 billion for the military. Only the USA invested with 610 billion US dollars.
construction of artificial Islands
Although the Communist party of China always stressed the “peaceful rise”. However, at the beginning of the year, heads of state and party chief Xi Jinping, bluntly threatened, China’s claim to want to enforce a reunification with Taiwan, which is regarded by the KP as a breakaway province, and if necessary also with violence. Ensure China is preparing its neighbours, with its claim to 90 percent of the South China sea. With the construction of artificial Islands and their progressive militarization represents Beijing, the littoral States Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan with a fait accompli. And it is a challenge to the existing Pacific hegemonic power of the USA. Washington sent military ships through China’s claimed Zone in the South China sea to the freedom of navigation. Add to this the possible threat of North Korean nuclear missiles, so the safety situation in East Asia of the most difficult in the world. This is also a reason why many of the participants came to the Munich security conference in Asia.
those Who land at the airport of Naha on Okinawa, the militarization of the Region in front of the eyes and ears. After a passenger plane of Japanese airline JAL two F15 roar of fighter jets of the Japanese air self-defense forces on the runway, then a passenger aircraft of ANA follows back. Also, the surveillance aircraft of the Japanese Maritime self-defense forces to use the airport, will soon get a second runway. The airport of Naha, testifies to the economic growth and military importance of Okinawa. From here, Japan monitors air and sea.
Since 2012, the confrontations have increased, on the sea between the two countries. Once the Japanese coast, had to stop the guard boats of Hong Kong activists on their way to the Islands. Also in the air, where both countries envy the end of the flight ban have overlapping introduced zones, closer to the military aircraft. According to the Japanese defense Ministry, the number of air sorties has risen due to Chinese military aircraft in Japanese airspace from 2012 to 2016. Then she went back, what, the last somewhat improved political relations between the two countries may reflect.
Chinese military ships also use more and more often, paths through the Japanese island chain to reach the open waters of the Pacific. In December 2016, the Chinese aircraft carrier “Liaoning” arrived for the first time in between Okinawa and Miyako island round, in April 2018, have been spotted in Japanese airspace for the first time aircraft, which should be started from the “Liaoning”.
Despite the buildup and the increase in military encounters Japan is not considered the neighbors of official diplomatic reading as a threat, instead, China is a concern “major national security”.
Japan has reacted to the rise of China and the nuclear arming of North Korea with a new policy programme for National defence, which was published at the end of 2018. This includes the conversion of two helicopter-carriers, the Izumo-class of two aircraft carriers. Also the military capabilities in cyberspace, space and electronic warfare will be expanded. “The most important point, however, the change of Japanese security from reactive to proactive,” analyzed Leo Lin of the think-tank Yokosuka Council of the magazine “the Diplomat”. Apparently as a reaction to the isolationist tendencies of the United States wants to strengthen Japan’s own military capabilities and the dependence of the United States to reduce. Without you in question. Because of Japanese rearmament.
article nine of the Constitution of 1946 stipulates the country after the experiences of the Second world war, strict pacifism and prohibits war and the maintenance of armed forces. Later, the court allowed the judgment, the establishment of self-defense forces, to ensure a minimum level of defense against direct attacks. The right-wing conservative government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe advanced 2014, the Interpretation of the Constitution, the right to collective self-defense. Since then, Japan can assist also a allies. A constitutional amendment in front of Abe, which would allow an official to set Up an army hovering on the government – but they needed a three-quarters majority in the lower house. Which is not in sight.
Around 2000 kilometres separate the island of Ishigaki of Japan’s political Central Tokyo, in terms of national security but it is in the center. In port, the Japanese rear-Admiral Hiroyasu Hanai reported that he had found the day before in the waters off the Senkaku Islands back to four ships of Chinese coast guard. With many gestures he describes the encounter on the sea, which is almost ritualised. The Chinese ships to warn the Japanese by speakers, Tannoy, and light characters in front of it, in the waters, and announce the territorial claims of China. The Japanese coast guard does the same thing, only it insists on its own claims. It acts as a formation dance on the lake, however, is not without its dangers. Then the ships are turning. .
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The trip was at the invitation of the Japanese Ministry of foreign Affairs.
