Japan says US committed to protect disputed Diaoyu Islands from attack amid China tensions

Foreign minister Hayashi and Secretary of State Blinken also agreed to realise an early visit to the US by Japanese PM Kishida for his first summit
The two diplomats strongly opposed Beijing’s unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas during a phone call

Japan

Reuters

Published: 12:08pm, 13 Nov 2021

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Japan’s new foreign minister, Yoshimasa Hayashi, said on Saturday US Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured him in a phone call that Washington’s commitment to defending Tokyo, including southern islets claimed by China, was unwavering.

Tokyo’s ties with Beijing have been plagued by a territorial dispute over a group of Japanese-administered islands in the East China Sea, called the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, as well as the legacy of Japan’s past military aggression.

“Secretary Blinken stated that US commitment to defending Japan, including the application of Article 5 of the Japan-US Security Treaty for the Senkaku islands, was unwavering,” Hayashi told reporters.

The treaty’s Article 5 says each party recognises an armed attack on territories under Japan’s administration would be dangerous to its peace and safety, and it would act to meet the common threat.

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The two top diplomats also agreed to realise an early visit to the US by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for his first summit.

The Japanese government has said Kishida could possibly visit Washington before the end of the year for talks with President Joe Biden. Tokyo is eyeing a November date for the trip, Japanese government sources said earlier.

Last week, Kishida had a brief conversation with Biden on the sidelines of the UN climate summit in Glasgow during which the two agreed to enhance bilateral alliance and closely cooperate toward a free and open Indo-Pacific.

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Hayashi said he and Blinken shared the view that the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait was important.

Cross-strait tensions have been rising in recent months, with Taiwan complaining for a year or more of repeated missions by China’s air force near the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its own.

Hayashi and Blinken strongly opposed China’s unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas, and agreed on close cooperation between the two allies in responding to issues regarding Beijing, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Additional reporting by Kyodo

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Washington ‘promises to defend Tokyo’