Japan to Pass Maritime Law Regarding China

Christina Cole

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Japanese Congress is expected to approve an act later this month that is aimed at legalizing maritime rights in an attempt to contain China's oil and gas exploitation on the East China Sea near disputed areas, reports Phoenix television.

Accord to a report posted on the Phoenix website cites Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun, ruling Japanese Liberal Democratic Party will make a proposal to pas "Fundamental Laws of the Ocean," to which the Party, has expressed their consent.
A special commission in charge of Japan's oceanic activities is urging the government to concentrate the rights concerning Japan's thalassian interests from eight ministries and to allow for use of the unified power according to Sankei Shimbun.

The draft, outlined by a committee under the hard-line Minister of State for Defense Shigeru Ishiba, the LDP's proposes to establish an oceanic policy minister post and a collective oceanic office that will be led by the Prime Minister to plan resource exploitation and security of its marine belt.

According to the Sankei Shimbun, trying to minimize China's activities in the waters near the Japanese marginal sea is the major motivation behind the legislation.
China controls three million square kilometres of sea area, much smaller than Japan's area of 4.5 million square kilometres. Disputes over controversial water territory between the two countries are not anticipated to cease because of national pride and also the rich underwater resources that are becoming vital in today's world with its increasing energy needs.