Japanese Analysts React to a Paper On the East China Sea Islands

Japanese Analysts React to a Paper On the East China Sea IslandsAn interesting Japanese Foreign Policy Paper Topic has recently surfaced with a notice on the Internet, claiming that Japan is 'making no move on disputed islets in the East China Sea.' The presence of the paper makes it noteworthy because of the amount of attention it has received from Chinese analysts.Most of the discussion surrounding the issue focuses on the vague nature of the writing, thus drawing out implications that are inherently speculative and unlikely to take on a consistent basis. However, many Chinese analysts have questioned the veracity of the paper, stating that it 'misrepresents' Japan's position on the islands. Of course, they do not offer any specific reasons for this view.One of the primary reasons for this assertion is that the writer of the document seems to have been an ardent nationalist in the past, and has a general view on how Japan should operate that is far different from the official stanc e that has been adopted by the Japanese government. For example, the writer's view on how Japan should deal with China in the future is that the government should make it clear that the country cannot be bullied, but he does not want to see the countries directly confront each other, even though he recognizes that doing so could lead to war. Also, the author's views on the territorial disputes in the South China Sea is one that does not seem to be shared by most Japanese officials, and is therefore in a position that would not be embraced by his former circle of friends.The writer who penned the paper did make attempts to address some of these concerns by including a detailed statement of the Japanese government's position on the islands, but it still does not address all of the issues that the Japanese government is currently involved in. These concerns appear to be at the core of what is viewed as the problem that has prevented the Japanese government from endorsing the paper.This article will address the concerns that Japanese analysts are putting forth about the paper, highlighting their various arguments. I will also look at the official Japanese position regarding the islands, and how it differs from the writer's view. In the end, I hope to provide some insight into the Japanese government's stance on the islands, and why the paper's claims have raised the ire of the Chinese government.As far as this paper's view on the islands, its main argument appears to be that the government does not want to see a great potential conflict between China and Japan in the future. It does not acknowledge that the islands are potentially a major flashpoint, and that such a conflict could end up with both countries stepping in the other's territory. I think it is safe to say that many Japanese analysts do not share this viewpoint, and this is what is the most compelling reason why they claim the paper is 'mishandling' its responsibility as an official representative of th e Japanese government.To answer the question of why the Japanese government has not yet endorsed the paper, I would point out that the government only has to take a few steps to make the statement more official. First, it needs to issue a formal endorsement of the paper, and then follow through by taking measures to reinforce the positions that it was stated in the paper. This means that it would take Japan one step closer to officially dismissing the paper, and if the government does not take these actions soon, it will be seen as a paper that favors outside interference.To conclude, Japanese analysts are reacting to the recent publication of a Japanese Foreign Policy Paper Topic on the East China Sea Islands by asserting that the paper's stance on the islands is one that will be unacceptable to the Japanese government. However, while the government could certainly take a few steps to reaffirm its positions on the islands, this is not the first time that Japan has claimed this posi tion.