Japan protests to China over Okinawa claim
Channel News Asia
May 9, 2013
Japan has lodged a diplomatic protest with China over an article in a state-run publication that challenged Japan’s ownership of Okinawa, home to major US bases, officials said Thursday.
Japan has lodged a diplomatic protest with China over an article in a state-run publication that challenged Japan’s ownership of Okinawa, home to major US bases, officials said Thursday.
The People’s Daily, the mouthpiece of the ruling Communist Party, on Wednesday published a call for a review of Japan’s sovereignty over Okinawa, suggesting that Beijing may be the rightful owner.
The call came as the two countries are already at loggerheads over islands in the East China Sea.
“We have protested both in Tokyo and Beijing over the commentary issued by the People’s Daily, followed by a Chinese foreign ministry comment,” a Japanese foreign ministry official in charge of Chinese affairs told AFP.
“We told them that if the Chinese government shares the position of casting doubt about Japan’s ownership of Okinawa, we would never accept it and firmly protest at it,” he said.
“The Chinese side replied to us that the view in the commentary was solely held by researchers,” he added.
The lengthy article in the People’s Daily argued that the country may have rights to the Ryukyu chain, which includes Okinawa. …
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