US, Japan Criticize China Air Defense Zone

Japan's defense chief said Tokyo is working closely with Washington following China's establishment of an air defense zone over disputed waters in the East China Sea.

The U.S. and Japan have vowed not to recognize the air defense identification zone, under which Beijing wants all civilian and military aircraft to identify themselves and obey its orders.

Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said Tuesday the Japanese Self Defense Forces are working with U.S. forces and will take all necessary steps to protect Japanese territory. "The defense ministry and self defense forces will look into the situation and do whatever it takes to protect our territory and airspace. As such, we will continue to look into what is needed to continue to monitor and patrol the area under self-defense and international law," Itsunori said.

While U.S. and Japanese officials have condemned the Chinese move as provocative, they stressed it will have no effect on how they work in the area.

Pentagon spokesman U.S. Army Colonel Steve Warren said U.S. military planes flying in the region would not identify themselves according to the new Chinese rules.

But the new regulations are affecting Japanese commercial flights. Several Japanese airliners said they are now notifying China when their planes enter the new zone.

Although some see this as an acknowledgement of Beijing's control of the area, the RAND Corporation's Scott Harold told VOA it is not the primary intention of the new policy. "The real goal of the air defense identification zone is not to try to deal with civilian airlines, since at all times those are expected to be open to announcing themselves and their intentions. It's really about trying to exclude Japanese or U.S. or Korean or even Taiwanese military airplanes from flying in those areas without China's permission," he said.

Harold said the ultimate goal of the policy is to try to force the Japanese to the negotiating table by threatening to take action against any military plane that does not first seek Chinese permission.

The establishment of the new zone is the latest in a series of moves that have raised tension around the disputed East China Sea islands, known in Japan as Senkaku and in China as Diaoyu.

China has for months sent regular patrols of airplanes and ships near the islands, in what is seen as an attempt to challenge Japan's de facto control of them. The moves have raised concerns of an accidental clash.

Security analyst Yoichiro Sato of Japan's Ritsumeikan Asia-Pacific University told VOA the moves are making it necessary for Washington to go further than its current level of support for Japan regarding the islands. "This kind of strong move came in the wake of perceived weak U.S. commitment to the alliance and the defense of the Senkaku. This is a very dangerous move China is playing. And at this point, the U.S. has no choice but to upgrade its commitment. It has to. Otherwise, it will really cause a major problem later on for the United States," he noted.

The United States recognizes Japan's control of the East China Sea islands but says it takes no position on their "ultimate" sovereignty. It has, however, said the islands fall within the scope of the mutual defense treaty under which the United States is obligated to help Japan if attacked.