The Japanese government may not have yet confirmed reports on Wednesday that it has reached a deal to purchase part of a chain of islands at the heart of a long-standing diplomatic feud with China, but that didn?t stop China?s Foreign Ministry from issuing an emotional response.
?In disregard of China?s solemn representations and firm opposition, Japan single-mindedly pushes forward the island purchase process which severely harmed China?s territorial sovereignty and hurt the feelings of the Chinese people,? Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Wednesday afternoon, his voice climbing in pitch as he spoke. ?We cannot help but ask where is Japan trying to lead China-Japan relations to??
The Senkaku Islands ? three of which are owned by Japan?s Kurihara family ? are administered by Japan but claimed by both China and Taiwan. In China, they are referred to as the Diaoyu Islands.
Japanese media reported that an agreement had been reached between the Japanese government and the Kurihara family to transfer ownership of the three islands for roughly 2 billion yen ($26 million). The Wall Street Journal has not been able to independently verify those reports.
In the event those reports turn out to be true, what will the Japanese government be getting for all that cash? Thanks to China Real Time?s sister blog, Japan Real Time, we have at least a partial answer.
JRT recently returned from accompanying the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which had been undergoing negotiations of its own with the Kurihara clan, on a survey of the Senkakus. Along the way, WSJ?s Eleanor Warnock captured a few short video clips that give a sense of what China and Japan have been fighting over.
Here, for example, is a spiky outcropping on Minamiko Island that Japanese officials believe was the inspiration behind the name Senkaku, which means ?pointed? in Japanese:
(A close-up of the shoreline of Uotsori, a Kurihara-owned island that Tokyo officials believe has tourism development potential, is available here, along with other snippets from the expedition here and here.)
Tokyo?s aim in conducting the survey was to see whether any of the islands could be developed for tourism and generally assess their worth. The survey team was unable to go ashore, however, because the Japanese government, which is currently leasing the islands from the Kurihara family, would not grant them permission.
But if China had any hopes that Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara might oppose the deal because of the city?s competing desire to buy the islands, they took a hit Wednesday afternoon when Mr. Ishihara told reporters he wouldn?t ?butt in? if the Japanese government were to go through with the purchase.
Japan?s Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura refused on Wednesday to confirm or deny reports of a deal, saying the government is still in talks with the Kurihara family and could not give specifics.
Beijing was ?monitoring developments of the situation closely,? the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said, adding that the China would ?take necessary measures to defend national territorial sovereignty.?
China?s official Xinhua news agency chimed in with a commentary later in the day that dismissed Japan?s efforts to purchase the islands as ?a prank,? a ?farce? and ??a daredevil move that could further wreck its ties with Beijing.?
? Josh Chin, with contributions from Andy Browne and George Nishiyama
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