The Japanese military authorities have announced their intention to “work closely together” with the Democrat administration.
The Japanese military agency considers it extremely important that Joseph Biden has confirmed the willingness of the US to extend the Japan-US Security Treaty to the Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu) in the East China Sea, for which Beijing is claiming. It was declared on Friday at press conference in Tokyo by Minister of Defence Nobuo Kisi.
“It is extremely important that the next American administration confirms its commitment to Senkaku and intends to strengthen the deterrent power of our union”, – he said. – “We intend to work closely with Mr. Biden’s administration”, – he said.
On Thursday, during his first phone call with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Sugoi, Democrat Joseph Biden, who was estimated by American media to have won the US presidential election, said the bilateral security treaty extends to the Senkaku Islands, which were the subject of a dispute between Tokyo and Beijing. In particular, he confirmed that article five of this document applies to these areas, which in effect guarantees Japan’s military assistance from the US in the event of an emergency.
The territorial dispute over the Senkaku Islands between Japan and China escalated after Tokyo announced in September 2012 that it was purchasing the islands from private owners, Japanese citizens. This was followed by mass anti-Japanese demonstrations in China. Since then, Chinese ships have been cruising around the disputed islands on a regular basis and have made occasional demonstration visits to the coastal zone. Beijing regards Senkaku as its ancestral territory, which Tokyo illegally seized at the end of the 19th century.