US challenged 13 countries on Navigation rights last year

[amoy]

http://www.japanprobe.com/2007/04/10/okinotorishimaisland/
Okinotorishima…island?
Taiwan's Ma says Okinotorishima not an island
http://www.japanprobe.com/2007/04/10/okinotorishimaisland/

From the Yoimiuri Shinbun:

A solar-powered lighthouse at Okinotorishima island, Japan’s southernmost islet, is seen in this photo taken Thursday. Standing three meters tall, 26 meters above sea level, the lighthouse on the roof of the observatory building began operating on March 16. The Japan Coast Guard wanted the lighthouse partly to counter China’s claim that Okinotorishima is merely a rock reef. The island is surrounded by an exclusive economic zone of about 400,000 square kilometers, but covers an area of only 4.5 tatami mats at high tide.

According to Wikipedia, Okinotorishima’s island status isn’t exactly clear [depending on how you define “rock”]:

Typhoons and global warming are constant threats to Okinotori’s existence. A few decades ago, there were about five or six visible protrusions, but by 1989, only two were visible.

In order to prevent the island from submersion caused by erosion and maintain the claim to the EEZ, the Japanese government launched an embankment building project in 1987, and Higashikojima and Kitakojima were surrounded by concrete. Japan has encased the reefs with $280 million worth of concrete and covered the smaller one with a $50 million titanium net to shield it from debris thrown up by the ocean’s waves. In fact, the Japanese government has spent over $600 million dollars fortifying the reefs to prevent them from being completely washed away.

Furthermore, the Nippon Foundation has drawn plans to build a lighthouse and increase the size of the reef by breeding microorganisms known as foraminifera.

Currently, Japan carries out research and observation of the area, as well as repair work on the embankment….

….Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, an island is “a naturally formed area of land, surrounded by water, which is above water at high tide”. It states that “rocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone.” Japan signed the Convention in 1983; the Convention came into force in 1994—1996 for Japan.

Okinotorishima lies in a strategic position between the U.S. military bases on Guam and Taiwan, and it is said that the waters around Okinotorishima could hold natural resources such as oil, so rather than accept Japan’s territorial claim, China has stated that it does not consider it to be a legal island. Considering the fact that Okinotorishima looks like this, could you really blame them for disputing Japan’s claim?

Hmm..I think there might be something naturally formed around there. Ah, here it is:

Several decades ago, when Okinotorishima was slightly less-eroded and a lot more natural, the United States controlled it as land seized from Japan at the end of World War II. It was returned to Japan in 1968, and the United States has since regarded it as an island, not rocks, and a legal part of Japan’s territory. The dispute with China over the legal status of Okinotorishima has yet to become a major issue, but when it does, Japan can probably count on having U.S. support for its claim, which should keep it within Japanese control for the near future…

 

[J20!]

Okinotorishima…island?
Taiwan's Ma says Okinotorishima not an island

From the Yoimiuri Shinbun:

A solar-powered lighthouse at Okinotorishima island, Japan’s southernmost islet, is seen in this photo taken Thursday. Standing three meters tall, 26 meters above sea level, the lighthouse on the roof of the observatory building began operating on March 16. The Japan Coast Guard wanted the lighthouse partly to counter China’s claim that Okinotorishima is merely a rock reef. The island is surrounded by an exclusive economic zone of about 400,000 square kilometers, but covers an area of only 4.5 tatami mats at high tide.

According to Wikipedia, Okinotorishima’s island status isn’t exactly clear [depending on how you define “rock”]:

Typhoons and global warming are constant threats to Okinotori’s existence. A few decades ago, there were about five or six visible protrusions, but by 1989, only two were visible.

In order to prevent the island from submersion caused by erosion and maintain the claim to the EEZ, the Japanese government launched an embankment building project in 1987, and Higashikojima and Kitakojima were surrounded by concrete. Japan has encased the reefs with $280 million worth of concrete and covered the smaller one with a $50 million titanium net to shield it from debris thrown up by the ocean’s waves. In fact, the Japanese government has spent over $600 million dollars fortifying the reefs to prevent them from being completely washed away.

Furthermore, the Nippon Foundation has drawn plans to build a lighthouse and increase the size of the reef by breeding microorganisms known as foraminifera.

Currently, Japan carries out research and observation of the area, as well as repair work on the embankment….

….Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, an island is “a naturally formed area of land, surrounded by water, which is above water at high tide”. It states that “rocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone.” Japan signed the Convention in 1983; the Convention came into force in 1994—1996 for Japan.

Okinotorishima lies in a strategic position between the U.S. military bases on Guam and Taiwan, and it is said that the waters around Okinotorishima could hold natural resources such as oil, so rather than accept Japan’s territorial claim, China has stated that it does not consider it to be a legal island. Considering the fact that Okinotorishima looks like this, could you really blame them for disputing Japan’s claim?

Hmm..I think there might be something naturally formed around there. Ah, here it is:

Several decades ago, when Okinotorishima was slightly less-eroded and a lot more natural, the United States controlled it as land seized from Japan at the end of World War II. It was returned to Japan in 1968, and the United States has since regarded it as an island, not rocks, and a legal part of Japan’s territory. The dispute with China over the legal status of Okinotorishima has yet to become a major issue, but when it does, Japan can probably count on having U.S. support for its claim, which should keep it within Japanese control for the near future…

Its interesting that the US Navy - ie Adm Harry "Shinto" Harris - doesn't consider 400 000km2(about the same size as the entire Japanese islands) an "excesive maritime claim", considering that it's based on a 9m2 piece of coral.

What's also interesting is that American media is staying as far away from the "Seizure of Taiwanese Fishermen" scandal as they can, since it would bring into question the legallity of Japans maritime claims.

 

[J20!]

Japan loses geopolitical battle with China in the Philippine Sea

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/324986#ixzz47E9Kv9GK

A United Nations commission has ruled that Japan cannot classify the Okinotori atoll as an island, thereby reducing Japan's bargaining position with China, and limiting a militarily strategic vantage point.

James Manicom, visiting researcher at the Ocean Policy Research Foundation in Tokyo, UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) does not resolve disputes, it just.rules on the technical classification, so while Japan cannot claim that the Okinotori atoll is an island, China and Japan will need to arbitrate elsewhere.

BEIJING - China on Wednesday welcomed a decision by a United Nations (UN) commission not to adopt Japanese claims over the geopolitical classification of Okinotori Atoll.

"Japan's claim of its outer continental shelf based on Okinotori Atoll was not acknowledged by the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei in response to a question at a regular press conference, quoting information released by the UN agency.

"Japan's allegation that Okinotori Atoll has been adopted by the commission as an 'island' is absolutely baseless," said the spokesman.

The Okinotori atoll is strategically and economically important to Japan, and according to Wikipedia, Japan has channeled enormous resources into developing the area into island status in order to extend the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for their country.

In order to prevent the island from submersion caused by erosion and maintain the claim to the EEZ, the Japanese government launched an embankment building project in 1987, and Higashikojima and Kitakojima were surrounded by concrete. Japan has encased the reefs with $280 million worth of concrete and covered the smaller one with a $50 million titanium net to shield it from debris thrown up by the ocean's waves. In fact, the Japanese government has spent over $600 million fortifying the reefs to prevent them from being completely washed away.

The sea beds in this area (technically the Philippine Sea) are believed to be rich in oil and gas resources, important to growing China demands and Japan's limited energy supply, but because the area is so far from Tokyo (1,740 kilometers, or 1,081 miles to the south), it is more important as a leverage point to Japan in its negotiations with China in the East China Sea than a useful source for gas and oil.


The Okinotori atoll is located in the dot over the 'r' at the bottom of the map.
Wikimedia

Okinotori is strategically located between U.S. military bases on Taiwan and Guam, and thus would be important if the U.S. were to intercede to protect the smaller nations - so by challenging Japan's claim that Okinotori atoll is an island, China positions itself to interfere with marine traffic in the area.

In the South China Sea, China is similarly embroiled in conflict with the Philippines, which is a simmering political hotspot, involving U.S. interests.

 

[amoy]

Which is authorized to define "excessive maritime claims" and challenge accordingly?

UNCLOs ~ to which the topgun US is not even a signatory.

UN? ~ It takes a few major powers to enforce its will, namely UNSC P5. In a multipolar world China and Russia are also carrying out FON operations for world peace.

China naval fleet seen off northern Japan

The two missile destroyers, two frigates and a supply ship passed through the Soya Strait from the Sea of Japan to the Sea of Okhotsk early Sunday, the ministry said.

The channel, also known as La Perouse, separates the Russian island of Sakhalin and the northernmost Japanese island of Hokkaido.

Read more: http://www.defencetalk.com/china-naval-fleet-seen-off-northern-japan-48432/#ixzz47EIsuoRy

Gradually rules of engagement came into being to avoid misjudgement among the privileged P5.

Previously mishaps did occur ~~ Soviet Ships rams USS Yorktown in the Black Sea

I was in the navy from 1982 to 1989. In February 1988 i was a gunnersmate on the USS Yorktown CG48. We went into the Black Sea and while near the USSR the Yorktown was ramed by a Soviet Naval vessel. It was scarry moment as we went to battle stations and waiting to see what would happen.

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-62660




~~Still waters run deep. ~~from my MiPad using tapatalk