中日海上主權有爭議

Recently the NHK News reported the following:

岡田外務大臣は、今月３日に奄美大島沖合で調査活動を行っていた海上保安庁の測量船に、中国の海洋調査船が近づき調査を中止するよう求めたことは、日本の主権的権利を侵害するものだとして、中国側に抗議しました。
海上保安庁によりますと、今月３日、海上保安庁の測量船が奄美大島沖合の排他的経済水域で、調査活動を行っていたところ、中国の海洋調査船が近づき、無線で調査を中止するよう求めました。これを受けて、岡田外務大臣は６日、中国の程永華駐日大使を外務省に呼び、「中国側の妨害行為は日本の主権的権利を侵害するもので、断じて受け入れられない」と抗議しました。これに対し、程大使は本国に伝えたいと述べる一方で、中国側の対応は正当なものだと主張しました。日本と中国の間では、先月、２回にわたって、中国海軍艦隊の艦載ヘリコプターが東シナ海と太平洋上で、監視活動を行っていた海上自衛隊の護衛艦に異常に接近し、日本側が危険な行為だとして抗議したばかりです。

Foreign Minister Okada considered that Japan's sovereign right had been violated and protested against China because on the 3rd of this month China's oceanographic vessel approached the surveying vessel of Japan Coast Guard that was conducting investigation at Amami Oshima offshore and requested the Japanese vessel to discontinue the investigation.

According to the Japan Coast Guard, when the surveying vessel of the Japan Coast Guard was doing investigation in the exclusive economic zone of Amami Oshima offshore on the third of this month, an oceanographic vessel from China approached, and used wireless to request the investigation be discontinued. This was received, and on the 6th Foreign Minister Okada called in China Ambassador to Japan Mr. Cheng to protest, saying that "The sabotage of China is violating the sovereign right of Japan and can never be accepted". Ambassador Cheng while insisting that the response of China to be the right one, undertook to convey the protect back to his own country. Between Japan and China, last month, twice the helicopter belonged to the warship of the Chinese naval forces fleet abnormally approached Japan's escort vessel of the Maritime Self-Defense Force that were conducting monitoring activities on East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean, Japan considered that was a dangerous act yet merely protested at such a behaviour.

It seems that arguments between China and Japan over their respective sovereign right at sea will continue. I hope they will have the wisdom to resolve these disputes peacefully.