The disputed islands known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China in the East China Sea/AFP
The Japanese government signed on Tuesday a contract with the Kurihara family, who are claimed by the Japanese side as the “private owner” of the Diaoyu Islands, Japan’s NHK television reported.
The signing of the contract came shortly after the Japanese cabinet’s decision earlier in the day to disburse reserve funds to “purchase” part of the islands, local media reported. Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura announced Monday afternoon that the central government reached the final agreement with the Kurihara family to buy three of the five uninhabited islands.
The purchase will cost the Japanese government some 2.05 billion yen ($26.15 million).
Demonstrating China’s undisputable sovereignty over the islands, two ships of the China Marine Surveillance (CMS) reached the waters around the islets on Tuesday morning.
The CMS has drafted an action plan for safeguarding the sovereignty and would take actions pending the development of the situation, the CMS sources said.
On Monday, China’s foreign ministry promptly challenged Japan’s reckless action over the Diaoyu Islands.
On Monday, China’s foreign ministry promptly challenged Japan’s reckless action over the Diaoyu Islands.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said China firmly opposes the move.
Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Monday urgently summoned Japanese Ambassador to China Uichiro Niwa for a meeting to lodge solemn representations and strong protest against the Japanese government’s illegal “buying” of the islands.
Yang said the Diaoyu Islands and their affiliated islets have been inherent territory of China since ancient times, backed by historical and legal evidence. The Japanese government’s so-called “purchase” of the islands and other unilateral actions are illegal and invalid.
China urges Japan to immediately revoke its wrong decision and stop all actions that undermine China’s territorial sovereignty. Otherwise, all consequences should be borne only by the Japanese side, Yang said.
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