Diaoyu Islands
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Diaoyu Islands

Diaoyu Islands
Diaoyu Islands
The Diaoyu Islands are a group of uninhabited islands located roughly due east of mainland China, northeast of Taiwan, west of Okinawa Island, and north of the southwestern end of the Ryukyu Islands. They are currently controlled by Japan, which calls them Senkaku Islands. Both China and Taiwan claim sovereignty over the islands.
China’s volatile Japan ties
China-Japan relations

China’s volatile Japan ties

China and Japan have built deep economic links, while also still having regular diplomatic rows. The latest blow-up came after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in November that the nation’s military forces could potentially be deployed in the event of a Taiwan conflict.

China-Japan relations

Chinese and Japanese coastguard ships confront each other near disputed islands

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US-China relations

China, US hold ‘candid’ security talks amid Japan, South China Sea tensions

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China-Japan relations

For Chinese in Japan, life goes on – but with an eye on public sentiment

Chinese report little visible protest activity to date but memories of 2012 China-Japan tension over disputed Diaoyu Islands linger.

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Experts and Chinese on the ground in Japan say China-Japan tension has not reached the heights of 2012 when the two countries were in a row over the Diaoyu Islands. Photo: AP
Singapore

Singapore PM hopes China, Japan ‘find ways to resolve’ Taiwan Strait row

Lawrence Wong cites the example of Southeast Asia and Japan, who have ‘put history aside’ and are moving forward.

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China travel

Drop in Chinese tourists could cost Japan US$9.59 billion: economist

Beijing has urged Chinese citizens to refrain from travelling to Japan following comments about Taiwan by new Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi.

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China-Japan relations

Will China ramp up military activity near Japan over Takaichi’s comments?

PLA activities near the disputed Diaoyus possible if tensions over Japanese leader’s Taiwan remarks escalate, analysts say.

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The Diaoyu Islands, known as the Senkakus in Japan, have long been a source of tensions between Tokyo and Beijing. Photo: Kyodo
China-Japan relations

Japan risks ‘path of no return’ if it intervenes in Taiwan, PLA Daily warns

Strongly worded commentary in China’s military mouthpiece comes as several ministries issue travel warnings against Japan in deepening row.

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Japan

Where is Japan’s EEZ? Tokyo’s complaint over Chinese ship marks unresolved issue

A Chinese survey ship has reportedly entered Japanese waters in the East China Sea over three days in the past week.

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Japan

Protests over Japan-US military drills in Okinawa expose domestic rifts

While Japan’s defence minister has condemned the protests, a governor says the US military presence places a huge burden on Okinawa.

The Marine Air Defence Integrated System (left and centre), and the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System at a camp on Ishigaki in Okinawa deployed for the 2025 Resolute Dragon Japan-US joint drills. Photo: Kyodo
Japan

‘Behind the curve’: Japan adopts US drones to counter intrusions

US-built SeaGuardian drones promise 40-hour patrols of disputed waters as Japan aims to reduce costly fighter jet scrambles.

Japan reportedly plans to carry out operational tests of MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones next year. Photo: Handout
China-Japan relations

On WWII anniversary, China’s PLA says Japan never abandoned military power dream

PLA Daily commentary criticises Tokyo’s plan to raise defence spending to 2% of GDP, breaking a long-standing 1% ceiling.

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Japan

‘Pattern emerging’: is China intentionally provoking Japan with close fly-bys?

Such moves signal to Japan that China is willing to monitor and challenge Japanese activities in areas it considers to be its territory, analysts warn.

Japan

Why Japan just tested a missile on its own turf for the first time

Driven by concerns over China’s military might and North Korea’s provocations, Japan is moving towards greater defence self-sufficiency.

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A Type-88 missile is test launched from an anti-aircraft firing range in Shinhidaka on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido on June 24. Photo: Japan Ground Self-Defence Force / AFP
Japan

Is Japan facing higher risk of drone warfare over Diaoyu Islands?

Japan has said its military could shoot down foreign drones flying over its territory, days after a Chinese-made drone entered its airspace.

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A Chinese military drone spotted near the Japanese islands of Okinawa and Miyakojima in 2023. Photo: Japan’s defence ministry
Japan

Japan flags record 216 days of Chinese ships near disputed islands

The unprecedented streak of Chinese vessel sightings was capped off by four coastguard vessels that were observed on Sunday, Tokyo said.

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Japan

Japan’s ex-army chief sees China preparing for East China Sea landing operation

Kiyofumi Iwata points to Beijing’s growing military preparations and incursions in the East China Sea as signs of a potential landing operation.

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Japan

Explosion rocks US airbase in Japan’s Okinawa; 4 injured

Four soldiers suffered injuries to their fingers while working at a US airbase that stores unexploded bombs.

An explosion occurred at an ammunition storage area inside the US military’s Kadena Air Base in Okinawa on Monday. Photo: NHK
Japan

China’s overtures a ‘pointed signal’ to stabilise ties with Japan: analysts

Beijing has recently removed controversial maritime buoys, eased a politically charged seafood import ban and appeared to temper its rhetoric.

Japan

China’s ‘incremental’ moves in disputed waters spark concern in Japan

China could gain control of more undersea resources, change status quo with suspected construction of new offshore platform, analysts say.

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Japan

Why Japan’s coastguard has a recruitment problem

The manpower shortage comes as Japan continues to clash with China over their rival territorial claims, such as in the Diaoyu Islands.

A Japanese coastguard ship sails near a Chinese marine surveillance vessel near the Diaoyu Islands, referred by Japan as Senkaku Islands. Photo: Kyodo News Stills via Getty Images
Japan

Will war break out in Asia? Survey shows more Japanese fear it is ‘likely’

Conflict in Ukraine and the growing assertiveness of China and North Korea are among the reasons for growing public anxiety, analysts say.

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Japanese stealth frigate FFM Mogami docks at Yokosuka Base near Tokyo last month. Photo: EPA-EFE
China-Japan relations

China-Japan dispute flares up after ‘ultranationalists’ fly plane over Diaoyus

Beijing blames extremist ‘activists’ for an incident over the disputed territory that prompted a flurry of diplomatic protests.

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China's military weapons

Japan hits rail gun milestone in race to counter China’s hypersonic development

The Japanese navy could be one of the first in the world to operate the advanced air defence system after recent sea trial.

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Japan

Is China planning to declare shared control of Diaoyu Islands with Japan?

Security expert warns Beijing may unilaterally claim islets to be jointly administered and dispatch maritime militia there to boost presence.

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A Chinese coastguard vessel sails near a Japanese coastguard vessel off Uotsuri Island, one of a group of disputed islands called the Senkakus in Japan, also known in China as the Diaoyus, in the East China Sea in April 2024. Photo: Kyodo via Reuters
China-Japan relations

China coastguard drives off Japanese fishing boats in escalating island dispute

Tokyo accuses Beijing of stoking tensions after Chinese ships expel four vessels from the vicinity of the Diaoyu Islands.

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The Diaoyus, known in Japan as the Senkakus, comprise five uninhabited islets and three reefs, located 169km east of Taiwan and 409km west of Okinawa. Photo: Kyodo
Japan

‘Two-faced diplomacy’: China pledges peace, then chases Japan’s fishing boat

The incident stirred online anger in Japan, with demands for stronger action against China’s ‘tyrannical violations of international law’.

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Japan

The rattle of Okinawa: Chinese drones probe Japan’s defences

Japan’s air force scrambled jets to shadow the drones, which analysts believe were probing Tokyo’s military readiness and assertiveness.

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