New diplomatic tensions between Beijing - which sends 8 ships to the territorial waters of the contested archipelago - and Tokyo, which returns to the Yasukuni shrine honoring the final resting place of some war criminals from the period of the invasion of China. Analysts: "The situation is worsening because nobody wants to take a step back."

Tokyo (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Diplomatic tension has mounted between Beijing and Tokyo after the visit of the 168 Japanese parliamentarians to the Yasukuni shrine - which houses the remains of heroes and war criminals of the period of the invasion of China - and the entry of 8 Chinese vessels into the territorial waters of the Senkaku / Diaoyo islands, disputed by the two governments. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has declared that "it would be natural for us to expel by force if the Chinese were to make a landing."

The ships, which entered the territorial waters of the archipelago disputed with Japan yesterday morning, left later that morning (local time). It was biggest intrusion of Chinese government vessels into the territorial waters of this uninhabited archipelago, since the worsening of territorial disputes in September, after Japan's acquisition of three of the five islands from their private Japanese owner.

The Japanese authorities have protested with their Chinese counterparts and the Chinese ambassador in Tokyo was summoned and "warned" by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Speaking to the Japanese Parliament, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said: "It would be natural for us to expel by force if the Chinese were to make a landing." The archipelago, whose real economic value is still unknown, is located 200 kilometers northeast of Taiwan and 400 kilometers west of the island of Okinawa, in southern Japan.

Jun Okumura, a political analyst for Eurasia Group, said: "I would say that the situation between Japan and China is deteriorating and that both side are incensed. From a Japanese perspective, Beijing is escalating the situation. There is a major school of thought here that we have to stand up to China or they will walk all over us".

In addition to the ships, the diplomatic tension has increased as a result of yesterday's parliamentary visit to the shrine of the heroes of Japanese war. Beijing's accuses Tokyo of honoring war criminals who, in the period just before World War II, committed atrocities on the Chinese territory. Among the 168 delegates were representatives of all parliamentary groups. For Yoichi Shimada, professor of international relations at the University Fukui, "this is not a provocation. They went because they think they should not have to give in to pressure from other nations. "

 

• JAPAN - CHINA Senkaku / Diaoyu
• Shinzo Abe territorial waters