HOW FAR WILL THE DRAGON SWIM ?

 The Senkaku Islands Controversy
Update 5/12/17 since this was written in 2012 the issue of private ownership of the various Senkaku Islands is still somewhat unsettled in Japan. The Chinese have since frequently violated Japanese territorial waters in the vicinity and have established an international flight interception zone over the Islands in what at the moment is internationally recognized as Japanese air space.  The US has challenged the aviation control zone a number of times. The disputed doesn't seem to be escalating today but continues at a troublesome pace with no resolution in sight due to Chinese refusal to enter an International court.
  One of my favorite paintings of all times is "Alabama Sinking Seen From Kearsarge" . The viewer sees the Confederate commerce raider ALABAMA sinking in the distance over the shoulder of a Union Navy gunner. The brawny gunner is holding a ram rod, cease fire has been called. The union ship Kearsarge  has won, the Alabama is sinking. 

US Navy Poster photographed in 1970 depicting Seaman Joachim Pease who won the Congressional Medal of Honor in the ship duel between the CSS ALABAMA and the USS KEARSARGE off of Cherbourg, France June 19, 1864.

  But there is no joy in the gunner's face or demeanor. His face is sad and his head hangs down a bit and his shoulders are slumped. No high fives, no cheers. The truth is that sailors hate destroying ships which they often see as things of beauty and experience as homes away from home, and they hate killing other sailors even more. The sea can be a deadly enough enemy all by its self. The illustration above isn't the painting I'm discussing, we couldn't find a version in the Public Domain. However note again the lack of joy depicted in this other art work commemorating the Union victory that sunk the ALABAMA, by all accounts a beautiful ship that if it had survived the war might have served for decades carrying merchant cargo.

CSS ALABAMA from painting owned by Naval Historical Center

 Every sailor knows in war time that but for the decrees of distant governments, the very sailors they are locked in mortal combat with today could be the ones coming to the rescue in a different time when they lost a battle with the sea. Sailors take no joy in destroying ships and killing other sailors. We take no joy in seeing other sailors like those of the Chinese Navy (PLAN) being forced into situations where they may become involved in shooting, sinking, and killing in a campaign triggered by foolishly aggressive territorial expansion. On the same hand all Chinese claims are not utterly without merit and may deserve a hearing. 

 The Senkaku Islands may be a case in point. These are in more northern waters than the other disputes between China and the Philippines and Vietnam.
The Japanese government would like to claim the islands in order to use them as a base for claiming a larger Exclusive Economic Zone but appears willing to argue the claim in peaceful forums and even to lose if defeated in a truly neutral forum
operated in accordance with international law. But strong nationalists groups in Japan are clouding the water with attempts to purchase the islands from their present private owner, landings, and incendiary speeches and political gestures.

 The China Sea holds oil, minerals, and protein. International law has established the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as the legal system by which adjacent coastal states may provide good stewardship over these resources far out to sea. Through the adjacent coastal state's leasing of mineral rights, management of benthic fisheries, and enforcement of international migrant fisheries treaties; order is established far out to sea without interfering with traditional rights of all nations of transit and transport. The establishment of an EEZ
not tantamount to extending a nation's "territorial sea", it is a much more limited right. Right now China is acting like it can't understand that. Japan does understand but is being pushed by internal nationalists forces to take a more aggressive stand in the case of the SENKAKUs than what is really necessary. Let us hope that both sides don't miscalculate. Below is a hyperlink to more information about this important conflict within a conflict. For sailors, we are certainly living the ancient Chinese curse "may you live in interesting times". While all eyes apparently are on the Middle East the Dragon, the Tiger, and the Rising Sun may be determining war and peace for the future out of site of land and out of the media eye. Watch here with us.
Click on the hyper-link below for more informaation
 http://thediplomat.com/2012/08/03/why-nationalism-is-driving-china-and-japan-apart/?all=true