Tokyo, Japan – Japan has strongly rejected what it calls “baseless” accusations from China about its control of the Senkaku Islands. On Saturday, the Japanese government sent a sharp reply to the United Nations after Beijing complained again about the tiny East China Sea rocks both countries claim.
China wrote to the UN last week saying the islands belong to it and that Japan has no right to them. Beijing called them Diaoyu Islands and said Japan’s actions break international rules.
Japan fired back fast. In a new letter to the UN, Tokyo said China’s claims have “no basis in international law” and told Beijing to stop repeating them. The government also asked China to sit down and talk instead of sending letters.
“We urge China to choose dialogue and cooperation rather than one-sided protests,” a Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.
The fight over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands has gone on for decades. Japan runs them now and says it has owned them since 1895. China says old maps prove they were Chinese first and Japan took them unfairly long ago.
Tensions go up and down. Ships from both countries often meet near the islands. Sometimes planes fly close too. In 2012, Japan bought some of the islands from a private owner, and China got very angry. Protests broke out in Chinese cities.
Both sides keep sending coast guard boats to the area to show who is boss. No big fights have happened, but people worry one small mistake could start trouble.
Japan says it will keep protecting the islands and the waters around them. Leaders in Tokyo also want calm talks with China on many issues, not just the islands.
For now, the letter battle at the UN shows the two big neighbors still can’t agree on this old problem.