Why in the News?

A China Coast Guard formation patrolled the Senkaku waters as Beijing escalated tensions with Japan over recent remarks on Taiwan.

Senkaku-Diaoyu Islands Issue

About the Senkaku–Diaoyu Islands Issue:

Location & Status: A small uninhabited island group in the East China Sea, claimed by Japan, China, and Taiwan.
Names: Japan calls them Senkaku, China Diaoyu, and Taiwan Diaoyutai.
Administration: Japan has administered the islands since 1972 after the Okinawa Reversion Agreement with the United States.
Geography: Consists of five islands and three rocks, covering ~7 sq km; the largest is Uotsuri.
Strategic Location: Situated near major shipping lanes linking East Asia to global trade routes.
Natural Resources: Surrounding waters believed to hold oil and natural gas deposits, highlighted in a 1969 UN report.
Fisheries: Rich fishing grounds add significant economic importance.
Geopolitical Value: Located at the junction of interests of Japan, China, Taiwan, and the United States, making it a strategic flashpoint.

Japanese Claim: Japan incorporated the islands in January 1895, asserting they were terra nullius based on surveys from 1885 that found no Chinese administration.
Chinese & Taiwanese Claim: Cite dynastic-era maps, navigation records, and Qing documents to argue sovereignty predates Japanese control.
Post–World War II Status: The US took control under the 1951 San Francisco Treaty, administering the islands as part of the Nansei Shoto region.
1971 Shift: Transfer of Senkaku and Okinawa back to Japan under the Okinawa Reversion Agreement sparked protests from China and Taiwan.
Resource Trigger: China’s active claim strengthened after the 1969 UN report identified potential hydrocarbon reserves.
2012 Escalation: Japan’s purchase of three privately owned islands led to widespread protests, attacks on Japanese businesses, and a surge in nationalist sentiment in China.
Current Tensions: Chinese Coast Guard vessels frequently enter surrounding waters to assert Beijing’s claim.
Broader Dynamics: Linked to nationalism, unresolved historical grievances, and strategic competition between China, Japan, and the United States across the Indo-Pacific.

[UPSC 2022] Which one of the following statements best reflects the issue with Senkaku Islands, sometimes mentioned in the news?

Options: (a) It is generally believed that they are artificial islands made by a country around South China Sea.

(b) China and Japan engage in maritime disputes over these islands in East China Sea.*

(d) Though International Court of Justice declared them as no man’s land, some South-East Asian countries claim them.