Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Japan has expressed “serious concern” over incidents in the South China Sea involving China and the Philippines that “obstruct freedom of navigation and increase regional tensions.”

Japan cited a recent incident that saw “dangerous actions” resulting in damage to a Filipino vessel and injuries to crew members on board.

“Japan believes that the issue concerning the South China Sea is directly related to the peace and stability of the region and is a legitimate concern of the international community,” a Foreign Ministry statement said. “Japan opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force as well as any actions that increase tensions in the South China Sea.”

It added that the government of Japan is concerned by unlawful maritime claims and “steadfastly opposes the dangerous and coercive use of Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels in the South China Sea,” pointedly referring to China, which has also sent Coast Guard vessels into the area around Japan’s disputed Senkaku Islands.

Japan said that the Philippines had complied with the Arbitral Tribunal’s award in the dispute with China and had shown a commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes in the South China Sea.

The Ministry added: “The arbitral award is final and legally binding on the parties to the dispute under the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and Japan strongly hopes that the parties’ compliance with the award will lead to the peaceful settlement of disputes in the South China Sea.”

Japan said it will cooperate with ASEAN countries and the United States to uphold the rule of law at sea and to protect the free and open international order based on the rule of law.