The Disputed Islands

     After posting the blog on US - China Relations where I mention the disputed islands as one of the issues, I realized that perhaps a bit more explanation and history is needed about these islands.  This chain of tiny uninhabited islands called Senkaku Islands in Japanese and Diaoyu Islands in Chinese were first supposedly discovered by the Chinese in the 15th Century.  From that point on, they were supposedly claimed by the succession of Imperial Dynasties that ruled China.  But they were never settled or anything was ever built on them by the Chinese.  However, in the aftermath of the first Sino-Japanese War in which Japan emerged victorious, the islands became Japanese territory in 1894 and in 1895 were officially annexed by Japan.  There are a total of 8 small islands, all uninhabited, in the chain located south west of the Ryukyu Islands chain and east of Taiwan.  Japanese consider these islands to be a part of the Ryukyu Islands chain, and their location would certainly suggest that they are indeed part of that chain.
     In 1945, at the end of World War Two, the islands came under U.S. administration just as the entire Ryukyu Islands chain had become.  In 1972 when Okinawa and the entire Ryukyu Islands  reverted to Japan, the 8 tiny Senkaku Islands reverted to Japan as part of the Ryukyus.  It is quite apparent that as far as U.S. and Japan are concerned, the Senkaku Islands are Japanese.
     The islands had never really been inhabited.  At one point before World War Two, an enterprising Japanese businessman tried to establish a fish processing plant on the biggest of the 8 islands.  That didn't last long and the project was abandoned.   In the 1970s and 80s some exploratory work was conducted by geologists and it was determined that the islands could possibly yield some natural gas or even petroleum with off shore drilling.  However, there is no actual proof that either natural gas or oil could be found under or around the islands.  No doubt this has raised interest with China which is desperate for sources for both natural gas and especially petroleum!
     But, as I mentioned in the earlier blog, that isn't main reason for China's interest in the islands.  The islands are located only a short distance from Okinawa!  If China was to establish bases on those islands with airstrips, it would certainly present a great threat to Japan and the U.S. bases on Okinawa!  Chinese have developed a system of clearing the beaches on small islands to create landing strips.  These islands are mostly mountainous, but all have beach areas that can be expanded to create landing strips!  In short, with only one aircraft carrier to their entire fleet, China is creating small landing strips on islands off its coast. Landing strips on Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu in Chinese!) would be a tremendous plus to the Chinese!  If on top of that they happen to strike natural gas and oil, well, that would be a real bonus!  But first they have to regain ownership after losing it to Japan over a 120 years ago!  So, I think you can see why they are so insistent on claiming ownership of those islands!