Latest news with #KiyofumiIwata
South China Morning Post
18-06-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Is China preparing to seize Diaoyu Islands? Japan ex-army chief warns of ‘absorption' plans
A former Japanese military chief has warned that Beijing's increasingly assertive moves around disputed islands in the East China Sea could be setting the stage for a Chinese landing operation. While analysts broadly agree that Beijing is seeking to expand control over the Diaoyu Islands , they differ on how close China might be to launching an outright takeover, with some warning of growing military preparations and others cautioning that a full-scale assault remains premature. In an interview with the conservative Sankei newspaper published on Monday, Kiyofumi Iwata, who previously served as the Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force's chief of staff, said 'the next logical step would be a landing and absorption' of the islands, which are known as the Senkakus in Japan. The uninhabited islets, long a flashpoint in Sino-Japanese ties, are controlled by Tokyo but claimed by Beijing. A Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force surveillance plane flies over the disputed Diaoyu Islands. The islands, long a flashpoint in Sino-Japanese ties, are controlled by Tokyo but claimed by Beijing. Photo: AP Iwata pointed to China's growing maritime presence around the islands over the past two years, including the frequent entry of Chinese coastguard vessels into Japanese territorial waters.
Japan Forward
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Japan Forward
Senkaku Islands at the Brink: Is China's Landing Next?
Tensions around the Senkaku Islands are flaring up again. On May 3, a small Japanese civilian aircraft approached the Senkaku Islands in Ishigaki City, Okinawa. In a move intended to show aggression, Chinese Coast Guard vessel Haijing 2303, which had been operating in the contiguous zone, encroached on Japanese territorial waters. Moments later, it launched its onboard helicopter, breaching Japanese airspace. The civilian aircraft turned back after receiving instructions from the Japan Coast Guard. But the Chinese helicopter pressed on inside Japanese airspace, ignoring repeated warnings. While this was the third time Chinese aircraft violated Japanese airspace near the Senkakus, it stood apart. "The May 3 violation was a clear assertion of China's claimed sovereignty," said Kiyofumi Iwata, former Chief of Staff of the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force. In an interview with JAPAN Forward, Iwata discussed Beijing's growing territorial ambitions as well as Tokyo's tepid response. He currently serves as an advisor to Mitsubishi Electric's Defense Systems Division. In response to the presence of a Japanese civilian aircraft, China attempted to intercept it, framing the move as an exercise in proclaiming its sovereignty. Until now, China had unilaterally violated Japanese airspace without any clearly stated purpose. This time, however, Beijing presented its actions as a response to what it argued was a Japanese incursion. By portraying the move as reactive, they are attempting to establish a precedent for their territorial claim. After repeated incursions into Japanese territorial waters and airspace, the next logical step would be a [attempted] landing and absorption. Wouldn't you agree? The China Coast Guard is already preparing for such operations. They have been steadily upgrading their equipment and capabilities, including ship deployments, helicopter operations, and specialized training for personnel tasked with disembarking and carrying out missions on the ground. On the legal front, Xi Jinping amended regulations in 2024 that authorize the detention of foreign vessels and individuals that enter what China claims as its territorial waters. Meanwhile, their coast guard continues to conduct drills that resemble naval military exercises. A Chinese helicopter violating Japanese airspace on May 3, 2025. (Photo provided by the 11th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters, Naha, Okinawa) Under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's leadership, preparations advanced steadily, including the deployment of a task force in Okinawa to address potential contingencies around the Senkakus. Japan's coast guard has also stepped up its vigilance. For instance, around 11 AM on May 3, just before the Chinese helicopter violated Japanese airspace, satellite images from Maxar showed a Japanese coast guard patrol boat stationed within two kilometers of the southern tip of Uotsuri Island. These vessels are anchored there daily, closely monitoring for any unusual or suspicious activity. Assuming a small contingent of Chinese forces attempts to land on the Senkakus, Japan is ready to handle them with arrests and other countermeasures. That said, China employs what's known as a "maritime militia ( minpei )." These are fishing vessels that operate routinely as civilian boats but come under China's military command during crises. If 100 to 200 of these vessels were to converge around the Senkakus, perhaps under the pretext of rescuing Chinese fishermen, Japan would find itself outnumbered. The Chinese violation of Japan's airspace and territorial waters occurred on May 3. Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya's press conference was held fully 10 days later, on May 13, and his tone was notably restrained. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has not even addressed the incident once. Given that our sovereignty was clearly challenged, such a muted response is incomprehensible. Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya at the Prime Minister's Office (©Sankei by Ataru Haruna) If Chinese forces or maritime militias were to land on the Senkakus, a decisive response would be mandatory. Failure to act would spark massive public outrage, which has remained relatively subdued until now. All United States presidents since Barack Obama have affirmed that the Senkakus fall under the protection of Article Five of our bilateral security pact. But this affirmation only acknowledges Japan's administrative control over the islands. Washington hasn't explicitly acknowledged our territorial sovereignty. To that end, if China were to gain effective control, the islands might no longer fall under the security treaty commitments. Especially under Donald Trump's tenure, it's highly questionable that Washington would risk military confrontation with Beijing over what they presumably see as some faraway islands. When a bilateral or multilateral weapons pact is signed, it is tantamount to a defense marriage. You're essentially locked in for the duration of the contract. Japan has long depended heavily on American weapons and defense systems within the framework of these agreements. PM Ishiba (front row, second from left) visits DSEI Japan, a trade fair for defense equipment and weapons, on May 22. (©Sankei) Of course, we still rely heavily on the US. But we are increasingly developing and exporting our own weapons and equipment. The next-generation GCAP fighter jet, for example, is being developed jointly with the United Kingdom and Italy. Unlike past projects, such as the F-2 fighter jet, which faced Washington's objections, there has been no official pushback this time. Mitsubishi Electric, where I'm currently affiliated, manufactures radar systems that we export to the Philippines. This makes us the first Japanese company to transfer such apparatus abroad. We secured this achievement by winning a competitive bidding process against other countries. In 2023, the law on Enhancing Defense Production and Technology Bases was enacted. Under this law, the Japanese government offers financial support when selling defense equipment, including funding for minor design modifications to meet the specific needs of buyers. I expect our weapons and equipment sales to extend across Southeast Asia and Australia. Under normal circumstances, Taiwan would also be a key market. Our political constraints — rooted in appeasing Beijing — make that virtually impossible. Author: Kenji Yoshida
