By Park Jin-hai
Researchers of the Northeast Asia History Foundation (NAHF) and experts of international law and diplomacy have published a recent book on East Asian territorial issues with a focus on the Senkaku or Diaoyu Islands dispute.
“East Asia Territorial Issues and Dokdo” is a collaborative three-year research by seven experts dealing with the September 2010 incident where a Chinese fishing trawler collided with two Japanese patrol boats over the disputed waters near the Senkaku Islands, also called Diaoyu in China.
It analyzes the resulting fallout of the incident within the context of the diplomatic relations between Japan, China and Russia, as well as its implications on the Dokdo islets, the eastern most islets of Korea that is being claimed by Japan.
The book, according to the NAHF, discusses the past, present and future of East Asian territorial disputes.
Ko Bong-jun, professor of the Chungnam National University’s Institute of Peace and Security Studies, analyzed the perspective of the United States.
“The U.S. is an indirect party of interests involved in the issue, approaching it from the perspective of securing the freedom of waterways as well as keeping its national interest.”
Lee Myung-chan, one of the book’s author affiliated with the NAHF said that the Senkaku Island issue has evolved from a territorial dispute into a fight for national honor between the disputing parties, while Ha Do-hyeong, professor at Korea National Defense University, said the current situation transcends territorial disputes by playing out as a struggle between regional powers.
Another NAHF researcher Nam Sang-gu said, “Even though the Kuril Islands, Dokdo and Senkaku Islands are three separate issues, Japan has no choice but to confront the issues by applying the same rule and principle.” He explained that Japan is aware that the resolution of any of the disputed territories has ramifications on the rest, which does not make the current situation any easier.