by Alice Monroe - Japan and China sent fighter jets to the East China Sea, further escalating the territorial dispute over uninhabited islands
TOKYO, Japan -- The territorial dispute over islands in the East China Sea known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China may be at risk of escalating into a full-blown conflict after both countries sent fighter jets to patrol the region.
The manœuvre increased the risk of a more serious military dispute over the uninhabited islands which - currently under Japanese control - would give China unobserved access to the Pacific Ocean for the first time.
During his first visit to Washington since taking office last month, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said Japan won't concede to China over the islands.
“Japan will not concede,” he said after a meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton this week.
Japan will “uphold our fundamental position that the Senkakus are an inherent territory of Japan.” The government will “respond calmly” so as not to provoke China, he said.
China already enraged Japan by including an updated map with its revised passports introduced in November last year, which marks the disputed islands as Chinese territory.
"The security environment in the Asia Pacific region is becoming ever more challenging and difficult," Kishida said. Reported by One News Page Staff 4 hours ago.