Japan, China agree to accelerate talks on East China Sea: Nikai

Tokyo (Platts)--26Sep2006

Japan and China have reaffirmed their intention to accelerate talks over
the development of disputed gas fields in the East China Sea, Toshihiro Nikai,
Japan's former minister for economy, trade and industry, said Tuesday.
At a meeting with China's vice premier Wu Yi in Hunan province in
southern China on Monday, the two agreed to accelerate the talks to resolve
the issue as soon as possible, Nikai said. Nikai resigned his post as METI
minister earlier Tuesday as part of the change in Japan's cabinet following
the departure of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
Newly elected president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Shinzo
Abe, was named Japan's prime minister Tuesday by a parliamentary vote. He
received the backing of 339 of the 476 members of the lower house of
parliament in a vote along party lines. Abe is expected to form his cabinet
later today.
"Vice premier Wu has agreed with me to solve the East China Sea issue as
quickly as possible through considering joint development proposals," Nikai
told a press conference in Tokyo.
Official talks between Tokyo and Beijing were broken off in October 2005
after Koizumi visited a Tokyo shrine honoring 2.5 million Japanese war dead,
including some viewed as war criminals by China.
Before the talks broke down, the two countries had been moving towards a
compromise solution for the development of offshore gas fields in the area.
The two countries resumed their talks earlier this year and held the
latest, sixth round of negotiations on July 8-9 in Beijing. Neither country,
however, has so far been able to agree on joint development proposals tabled
by the other.
Tokyo has rejected Beijing's proposal for joint development of two gas
fields near the Japan-controlled Senkaku Islands, and China has turned down
Japan's proposal of jointly developing four gas fields near the median line in
the East China Sea which Japan claims divides the two exclusive economic zone
boundaries. China does not recognize the median line.
Japan has objected to Chinese companies exploring and developing a number
of gas fields in the East China Sea that it believes could extend into its
territory.


 

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