The Senkaku Islands Constitute an Intrinsic Part of Japan

esidents of the Ryukyu Islands is prohibited.” A photo of a sign showing the statement
is shown above. In light of this case, it is easy to understand that effective control of the
islands remained intact while under U.S. Military occupation.
Furthermore, the fact that numerous surveys had been carried out by authorities from
Okinawa and Japan lends to the evidence that the Senkaku Islands were not abandoned
by Japan but had remained under its effective control.
� 1950 – 1970: Five ecological surveys by Ryukyu University
� 1968: A survey on subsurface resources, water quality, seabirds, and vegetation
by a joint research team comprised of researchers from General Administrative
Agency of the Cabinet (Japan), University of Ryukyu, and the Government of
Ryukyu.
� 1969 and 1970: Surveys on marine geology by the first and second academic
research teams from General Administrative Agency of the Cabinet (Japan)
� 1970: A survey on geology, biota, seabirds, marine life, and insects by a joint
team comprised of researchers from Kyushu University and Nagasaki
University.
Further, in 1961, Omisha Tsunehisa, a resident of Naha City began conducting
assessments of the oil and natural gas deposits in waters surrounding the islands of
Okinawa, Miyako, and Yaeyama. By February 1969, he had submitted a total of 5219
applications to the Japanese government for the mining rights in waters surrounding the
Senkaku Islands. In December of that year, Omisha submitted detailed reports on the oil
deposit situation for the Senkaku Islands and nearby continental shelf. In the wake of
these developments, the Japanese government launched its own survey teams.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE)
conducted its own surveys of the waters. In 1968, ECAFE published its survey findings,
which noted the possible existence of resources below the seabed surrounding the Senkaku
Islands. Thereafter, China and Taiwan suddenly emerged to claim the Senkaku Islands as
their territory. These claims coincided with the formal return of Okinawa to Japan.
5. China’s Claims Ignore Modern-day International Law
With the release of the ECAFE survey report, the Chinese government suddenly
asserted its claim of sovereignty over the Senkaku Islands, acting as if its prior
recognition of the islands as Japan‟s territory did not exist. On December 30, 1971,
China officially stated its claim to sovereignty over the Daioyu Islands and, in the
following March, mentioned its sovereignty at a maritime committee conference of the
U.N. China stated that it would not accept a return of the islands to Japan as spelled out
in the Agreement between the United States of America and Japan Concerning the
Ryukyu Islands and the Daito Islands. China‟s argument is outlined below.
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