Can dialog resolve China-Japan Oil Clash in East China Sea?
By Yoichi Funabashi Flying over the East China Sea, we spotted the 10,000-ton Norwegian research vessel Ramform Victory running from north to south. The sea was rough, lashed by a strong northwester. “When the waves are too high, the noise makes it difficult to collect data,” said Kanda Keita, an engineer with the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corp. (JOGMEC), whom we had asked to join us aboard The Asahi Shimbun plane Asuka. Kanda had just spent a month heading up a crew of eight Japanese on a ship chartered by the Japanese government. The Ramform Victory is gathering data on oil and gas reserves in a band of sea about 30 kilometers wide on the eastern side of the Japan-China median line that marks the limit of the exclusive economic zone claimed by Japan. JOGMEC was commissioned by the Japanese government to conduct the survey. From the surface of the water, researchers collect data on the composition of the underground strata by bouncing sound waves off the seabed. To do so, th
Dialogue can help avert unintended clashes due to misunderstanding. The deeper problem, however, is fundamental differences in interests and the willingness of one side to push ahead aggressively on the assumption the other side will not effectively respond because it fears a military incident. China under Xi Jinping is willing to tolerate risk, is under pressure from nationalistic domestic public opinion to get foreign policy “wins,” and wants to demonstrate Chinese strength to keep an Abe-led Japan from seeking a regional leadership role.
