By Zachary Keck
Shinzo Abe’s position on the Senkaku Islands dispute is wrongheaded, and the Japanese people know it.
Back in May, I wrote a piece entitled “To Lead in Asia, Japan Must Take China to Court.” The piece criticized Japan’s policy towards the Senkaku Islands dispute with China, which refuses to acknowledge that a dispute even exists. As a result, Japan isn’t able to try and use international law to strengthen its claim of sovereignty over the islands.
This is misguided on a number of levels. First, one of China’s major demands is that Japan acknowledge that a dispute exists. Of course, Beijing wants Japan to acknowledge the dispute because it believes that will strengthen its claims to the island. However, Beijing’s desire for Japan to admit a dispute exist also gives Tokyo leverage which it could use to get concessions from China. Furthermore, acknowledging a dispute would give Chinese leaders a way to dial down tensions without losing face.
After getting these concessions, Japan could also turn to international law to strengthen its sovereignty claims. Japan has administered the Senkaku Islands for decades and would almost certainly receive a favorable ruling from an international tribunal on the issue of sovereignty. If the South China Sea is any guide, China would refuse to participate in the proceedings or accept the court’s ruling. Still, the ruling would put China on the defensive since Japan could claim that it had the international community and international law on its side. This includes international law that derives from treaties that China is a party to.
Perhaps most importantly, these policies would strengthen Japan’s regional leadership claim. Turning the case over to an international tribunal would draw a stark contrast between Japan and China. Tokyo could credibly demonstrate that it is a responsible status quo power with peaceful intentions. Conversely, Tokyo could portray China as a irresponsible revisionist power.
Read the full story at The Diplomat