In the Middle East, Israel is seen as a key strategic stronghold for the United States, while in the Asia-Pacific region, Japan, the most important supporter of the United States. At present, the United States is embroiled in two "first-class wars" and has no time to take care of Indo-Pacific affairs, which makes it all the more necessary for Japan to help the United States share the pressure. As a result, America's allies began to act to exert pressure, the Philippines actively provoked in the South China Sea, and Japan began to create unrest in the East China Sea.
Recently, Japan released news that near the East China Sea, patrol planes of the Maritime Self-Defense Force found flames coming from structures set up by China, indicating that China is developing gas fields in the waters on the "middle line" side of the East China Sea. In this regard, Japan strongly **, saying that the so-called "middle line" is not recognized at all and also violates the provisions of international law. According to the division of the continental shelf in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the continental shelf refers to the part of the land that extends to the sea. The continental shelf in the East China Sea is clearly bounded by the Okinawa Trough, so there is no basis for a common continental shelf between China and Japan. The extension of the continental shelf in the direction of the East China Sea accounts for about 2 3 of the total area of the East China Sea, which is legal, so most of the East China Sea belongs to China. The East China Sea oil and gas field is located on the shelf of Chinese mainland and has nothing to do with Japan.
In 2008, China and Japan reached a preliminary understanding on joint development, but the agreement failed to move forward. In 2010, there was a collision and Japan tried to seize the Diaoyu Islands, which stalled negotiations. The Diaoyu Islands are located in the northern part of Okinawa, and if occupied by Japan, the continental shelf of the East China Sea will be divided, which is the main reason for Japan's attempt to occupy the Diaoyu Islands. Japanese greed deprived them of the opportunity for joint development. Despite Japan's repeated attempts to renegotiate, China has ignored it and continues to exploit gas fields in the East China Sea on its own. Last year, Japan discovered that China had exploited 17 gas fields in the East China Sea. Although China exercised restraint and mined on the western side without "crossing the line", Japan misunderstood our sincerity and regarded it as weak. The way the United States and Russia treat Japan provides two standard answers: the United States has taken the form of suppressing Japan, while Russia has shown a tough posture as a great power.
Recently, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that Russia and other countries, including Japan, have resolved all territorial disputes, denying the existence of territorial disputes. Earlier, Putin gave a tough response to a question from a Japanese journalist at a press conference, making it clear that if he continued to ask tough questions, he would get the same tough answers, and asked for this message to be conveyed to the person who asked the question. He stressed that Russia has resolved all territorial disputes. The remarks provoked a backlash from Japan, where Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi accused Russia of trying to "shift the blame for stopping the negotiations onto Japan," calling it extremely unfair and unacceptable.
In fact, regarding the dispute over the South Kuril Islands (known in Japan as the Four Northern Islands), Russia initially showed sincerity. Putin and former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo have repeatedly negotiated this, when Russia even allowed Japanese companies to conduct business in the region, and Japanese fishermen could also fish nearby, and there was even the possibility of return, but with some conditions. Japan, however, has been asking for more, and when Russia was sanctioned by the West last year, it thought the time was ripe. At the time of Western sanctions against Russia, Fumio Kishida has repeatedly stated that he wants to retake the four northern islands, which has angered Russia. Subsequently, Russia announced the termination of relevant negotiations and a ban on Japanese citizens traveling to the South Kuril Islands, ending joint economic activities with Japan in the region. Now Russia directly claims that there is no territorial dispute with Japan, which means that there will be no more negotiations in the future. If Japan wants to recover these territories, it may have to do so only by means of war.
In addition, Russia announced the end of discussions on the signing of a peace treaty with Japan and refused to negotiate a treaty of friendship and cooperation. This is a necessary gesture for the victorious country to the defeated country. Japan is a country that is afraid of power and morality, and pure reasoning does not work for them. There are many ways to deal with Japan, and China should also take the initiative to suppress it from time to time.