Japan may send SDF troops to Senkaku islands in an effort to cope with unlawful activities by any neighbouring country; Tokyo metropolitan government asking for US support to buy the Senkaku islands; Japan and Russia agree to hold regular frequent high-le
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    • While reiterating Japan’s sovereignty over the disputed Senkaku islands, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda recently stated that if any neighbouring country gets involved in any kind of illegal activities in Japanese territory or water, the Japanese government may decide to send its self defense force (SDF) troops there. He also indicated the possibility of Japan patrolling the islands and waters around it with the help of all relevant government agencies. 1

    In an interesting development, the Tokyo metropolitan government, with an ad in the Wall Street Journal, has recently urged the US to support the former’s planned move to purchase the disputed Senkaku islands from their private owners. The ad titled “To the American People from Tokyo, Japan”, states, “it is with the hope of gaining the understanding and support of the American people for our purchase of the Senkaku Islands that we are running this advocacy ad today.” The tension around the Senkakus has heightened recently with China’ s repeated claims over the islands and the Chinese vessels’ reported frequent visits to the disputed region. The ad in the Wall Street Journal claimed Japan’s sovereignty over those islands and indicated “its indispensable geostrategic importance” to US force projection. The ad further warned that “failure to support the Asian nations confronting China would result in the US losing the entire Pacific Ocean.” 2

    In other developments, during Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba’s recent visit to Russia, he met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. During that meeting, both the leaders agreed to hold frequent high-level negotiation to bring about a mutually acceptable solution to the long-standing bilateral territorial dispute over Japan’s claim to four Russian-held islands off Hokkaido. 3

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