Japan disapproves of China’s gas exploration activity in disputed waters

Japan is protesting against China over signs that the latter is moving forward with maritime gas exploration activities in the disputed area between the countries despite Tokyo’s repeated requests to stop, according to Japan’s top government spokesman.

The exploration platforms are on the Chinese side of the median line between the two countries, but Japan accuses China of ignoring a 2008 agreement to maintain cooperation on resources development in an area where no official border has been drawn.

In July, China said it had every right to drill in the East China Sea close to waters disputed with Japan, adding that it did not recognize the “unilateral” Japanese median line setting a boundary between the two territories.

Ties between China and Japan, the world’s second- and third-largest economies, have already been strained by their conflicting claims over a group of tiny islets and the legacy of Japan’s wartime aggression.

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said that there were flares witnessed earlier this month at two of the gas exploration platforms China installed in the East China Sea. “It is extremely regrettable that China, despite our multiple representations, is carrying on with unilateral development in an area where no maritime border has been set. We protested to China through diplomatic channels right away.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Chinese gas exploration was carried out in waters “indisputably under Chinese jurisdiction.” He added that the matter was completely within China’s rights and jurisdiction.

China is also claiming most of the South China Sea, through which more than US$5 trillion of trade moves annually. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have rival claims.

Japan is also at odds with China’s South China Sea claims although it has no territorial claims over the waters as much of the trade that passes through it is to and from Japanese ports.