PHNOM PENH — Japan, still mired in the economic doldrums, is trying more than ever
to strengthen ties with ASEAN members, counting on their rapid economic
expansion and growing clout as it faces an increasingly assertive China.
Friction over competing claims in
the South China Sea was the hot-button issue at the weeklong foreign
ministerial meetings of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations
and its dialogue partners, including China, Japan and South Korea, held in
Cambodia's capital.
Foreign Minister Koichiro Genba
repeatedly said in the series of multilateral and bilateral meetings that Tokyo
has no plans to "interfere" in any of the territorial disputes in the
South China Sea, such as those pitting China against the Philippines and
Vietnam.
Despite that, Genba did not
forget to underscore that Japan has "a great deal of interest" in the
rising tensions because they pose a major risk to peace and stability in the
Asia-Pacific region.
Without naming any specific
countries, he called for maritime tensions to be settled peacefully on the
basis of relevant international laws and urged the parties to refrain from
"unilateral" action.
By making such statements, Genba
appears mindful that Tokyo's own dispute with Beijing — over control of the
Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea — is under close scrutiny as well.
Just a few hours before Genba
arrived in Phnom Penh on Wednesday, three Chinese fishery patrol vessels
entered Japanese waters near the uninhabited Senkakus, which are also claimed
by both China and Taiwan.
The intrusion occurred on the
same day Genba and his Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi, had scheduled a
one-on-one meeting, and Genba lodged a strong protest over the intrusion.
"Frankly speaking, we do not
know China's real intention, whether the intrusion just happened or was timed
to coincide with the bilateral meeting," said a senior Japanese official
who accompanied Genba to Phnom Penh.
The meeting was the first
high-level contact between the two countries since Prime Minister Yoshihiko
Noda this month suggested the government would buy part of the Japan-controlled
islands, known as the Diaoyu in China, from their owner.
Genba told Yang that Japan's plan
to bring the islands under state control is aimed at stabilizing, not
escalating, the situation. But the Chinese side rejected his explanations.
Genba said that no territorial
dispute exists over the islets, as it is clear they are "inherently our
country's territory from a historical point of view and in terms of
international law."
Yang, however, retorted that
China has "indisputable sovereignty" over the islands and demanded
that Japan "return to the right path of managing differences through
dialogue," according to the Foreign Ministry in Beijing.
Still, one of the three Chinese
patrol vessels the following day re-entered Japanese waters off the Senkaku
Islands, which are situated near rich fishing grounds and potentially lucrative
gas reserves.
A senior Chinese diplomat who
traveled with Yang said on condition of anonymity that the issue is
"extremely important, as the whole of Chinese society is closely watching
for the possible repercussions on bilateral ties."
"It has the potential to
destroy the further development of China-Japan relations," the diplomat
said.
Although the two sides will mark
the 40th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties this year, Tokyo
and Beijing are both prone to nationalism at this time. While Noda's government
is grappling with low public support ratings, China is preparing for a
once-in-a-decade leadership transition slated for later this year.
A senior Japanese diplomat in
charge of Asian affairs said that ASEAN's growing collective influence in
shaping a new regional order can no longer be disregarded and that working
closely with the bloc will become strategically important, particularly in
dealing with China's maritime assertiveness.
Japan, together with the United
States, had hoped that ASEAN members and China would make progress on the terms
of a legally binding code of conduct in the South China Sea.
But these hopes failed to
materialize as China's Yang backpedaled from an agreement reached earlier by
senior ASEAN and Chinese officials to open talks on the framework, saying the
timing was not ripe for discussions.
"It was a bit difficult this
time as Cambodia (a close China ally) was chair" of the ASEAN meetings, a
top Japanese envoy said.
"Nonetheless, Japan will continue
to play an active role in helping ASEAN members create maritime rules in the
South China Sea. In doing so, of course, the East China Sea is on our
mind."
TAKUYA KARUBE
Kyodo
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