Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Japan’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday issued a strong statement criticizing China for unilateral expansionism in the East China Sea.

The Foreign Ministry stated: “We have recently confirmed that China has initiated an installation of a new structure on the west side of the geographical equidistance line between Japan and China in the East China Sea. It is extremely regrettable that China is advancing unilateral development in the East China Sea while the Exclusive Economic Zone and the continental shelf in the East China Sea have not yet been delimited.”

KANAI Masaaki, Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, immediately issued a strong protest to Shi Yong, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China.

He strongly urged China for an early resumption of negotiations regarding the implementation of the “June 2008 Agreement”, in which Japan and China agreed to cooperate on the development of natural resources in the East China Sea.