Tokyo Protests Beijing's Gas Field Development In East China Sea

The Japanese government has lodged a protest with China over its test drilling activity in a gas field close to the median line separating the two countries in the East China Sea, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters on Friday

TOKYO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd March, 2019) The Japanese government has lodged a protest with China over its test drilling activity in a gas field close to the median line separating the two countries in the East China Sea, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters on Friday.

In early March, China deployed a drilling ship near the median line, which runs along the border of the exclusive economic zone of Japan, near gas fields in the East China Sea. In addition, another ship allegedly conducts exploration works in the area.

"Despite the repeated protests of Japan, China continues the development [of gas fields] in unilateral way. This is extremely regrettable," Suga said as quoted by NHK broadcaster.

Tokyo and Beijing agreed in 2008 to jointly develop gas fields in the area, but the respective deal has yet to be signed.

Japan says that China is unilaterally test drilling in the region as well as building facilities near the median line.

The sides have long been involved in a number of disputes in the East China Sea, in particular, in a row over the mutually contested Senkaku Islands, referred to by China as the Diaoyu Islands, which are located next to important shipping routes, and potentially large oil and gas fields. Japan claims it has possessed the islands since 1895, while Beijing recalls that Japanese maps made in 1783 and 1785 pictured the islands as belonging to China. After World War II, the islands were controlled by the United States until Washington returned them to Japan in 1972. Taiwan and mainland China still believe that Tokyo maintains control over the islands illegally.