Are China and Japan moving closer to war? Japan proposes military hotline with China

   

February 13, 2013 – CHINA – Tanks, one by one, moving along a main road in China’s coastal Fujian province. Driving up speculations that the Chinese military may be warming up for war. Local residents took these pictures between February 3 to February 6. At times, the line of tanks and artillery blocked traffic for several miles. And it wasn’t just in Fujian province. These military vehicles were spotted further up the coast, in neighboring  Zhejiang province. According to dissident website, molihua.org, these tanks in Hubei province are being transported from a military base to the coast. The troop movements come after months of escalating tensions between China and Japan over the disputed territory of the Diaoyun, or Senkaku islands and they’re known in Japan. It’s caused international worries that the two countries may be on the cusp of war. Both sides have scrambled jets and warships in the region. In January, during naval exercise near the disputed waters, Chinese warships reportedly directed their targeting radar at a Japanese vessel. On February 7, State-run Global Times published this article saying there is a “serious possibility” a military conflict may flare up between China and Japan. It continues to say that fewer and fewer people are hopeful for a peaceful resolution to the Diaoyu Island crisis. Are we in a countdown to war between China and Japan? NTD will continue to keep you posted as the situation develops. –NTD

Japan proposes military hotline with China –The Japanese government wants to move ahead with the creation of an emergency military hot line with China as tensions remain high over allegations Beijing used weapons-targeting radar against Japanese naval forces, Parliamentary Secretary for Defense Masahisa Sato said Tuesday. Mr. Sato—an upper house lawmaker and the third-most-senior elected official overseeing the defense ministry after the minister and vice minister—also said he hoped Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Barack Obama would discuss security issues at a planned summit later this month. Mr. Sato described the alleged radar-locking incidents as “outrageous.” He said he was disappointed with Beijing’s rebuttal that Tokyo’s accusations were baseless and aimed at stoking tensions between the two countries. “A hot line may not be enough. We’d also like to consider creating a framework where vessels of both parties can directly communicate on-site to avoid such incidents,” he said in an interview. On Friday, China denied Japanese accusations that Chinese naval ships locked weapons-guiding radar on two occasions in January—once on a naval vessel, and once on a helicopter. Chinese officials said normal radar—not weapons-targeting radar—was used in both instances, blaming close monitoring by Japanese forces for aggravating the situation. The U.S. supports Japan’s claims. A State Department spokesperson said Monday it believed the incidents took place as Japan describes them. “In normal circumstances, such radar is directed when attacking an opposing ship. Doing this as a mere act of provocation is just inconceivable in light of common military custom,” Mr. Sato said. “Generally speaking, a weaker military would have fired shots” in response to such moves. No shots were fired, but Prime Minister Abe has demanded that Beijing apologize. Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said Saturday the government may release evidence of the radar-locking incidents. –WSJ

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