Japan city renames area covering Senkaku Islands, triggering China to warn of reprisal

The Ishigaki city assembly changed the name of the area containing the disputed islands from ‘Tonoshiro’ to ‘Tonoshiro Senkaku’
Beijing, which alongside Taiwan also claims the uninhabited islands, called the move a ‘serious provocation to China’s territorial sovereignty’

Japan

Kyodo

Published: 4:02pm, 22 Jun 2020

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Japan’s Ishigaki city assembly on Monday renamed an administrative area covering a group of disputed islands in the East China Sea, a move Beijing – which also claims the uninhabited islands – called a “serious provocation to China’s territorial sovereignty” to which it reserves the right to respond.

The assembly in Okinawa prefecture changed the name of the southern Japan area containing the Senkaku Islands from “Tonoshiro” to “Tonoshiro Senkaku”, saying the move was aimed at resolving administrative confusion with a locale in downtown Ishigaki which shares the name “Tonoshiro”.

It was able to make the change, which takes effect on October 1, as the area falls under Ishigaki’s administrative authority.

Inserting the name “Senkaku”, which is how the islands are known in Japan, was “a serious provocation to China’s territorial sovereignty, is illegal, invalid, and cannot change the fact that the Diaoyu Islands belong to China”, the Chinese foreign ministry said, referring to the name Beijing uses for the islands.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said during a briefing on Monday that Beijing has complained to Tokyo about the bill regarding the disputed islands, adding that China’s “resolve and determination to protect its territorial sovereignty is unwavering”.

Zhao said Beijing lodged “solemn representations” to Tokyo through diplomatic channels.

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Taiwan also slammed the move after it was reported, saying it would “not be conducive to regional peace and stability”.

“Any unilateral action does not change the fact that the Tiaoyutai Islands are the sovereign territory of the Republic of China,” Presidential Office spokesman Xavier Chang said, using Taiwan’s name for the islets. The Republic of China is Taiwan’s official name.

Taipei also said Beijing’s ships have disrupted fishing activities in the contested waters for an extended period, prodding the city to pass the bill. It called on the mainland government to try to resolve the territorial disputes in a peaceful manner.

Ishigaki Mayor Yoshitaka Nakayama submitted the bill for the change after Japanese fishing boats were chased by Chinese patrol vessels in Japanese territorial waters near the islands in early May, fanning speculation that the move is a response.

Nakayama has denied the change is intended to bolster Japan’s claim over the area, telling the city assembly it is “merely intended to streamline administrative work.”

Tensions over the islands escalated after Japan brought them under state control in September 2012.

Taiwan’s northeastern county of Yilan has adopted a proposal to rename the islands from “Tiaoyutai” to “Toucheng Tiaoyutai” to include the name of a local township.

Additional reporting by Reuters

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