Since early April, three Chinese vessels have been conducting marine research operations in the East China Sea, on the Japanese side of the midway line between Japan and China. These activities are based on a memorandum that the Japanese and Chinese governments exchanged in February. In accordance with the agreement, China gave advance notice of the operations to Japan and Japan approved the plan, the Japanese Foreign Ministry says. The Chinese vessels, however, are using pneumatic devices for acoustic exploration and conducting drilling tests, obviously outside the scope of the scientific research that Japan and China agreed to.

For the past several years, Chinese vessels have been conducting research activities in the same zone, defying Japanese protests. In 1999, a total of more than 30 vessels, sometimes accompanied by warships, conducted research operations in the waters. In 2000, a Chinese spy boat crossed the Tsushima Strait between Japan and South Korea and then the Tsugaru Strait in Japan, moving southward along the Pacific coast to waters off Cape Inubo in Chiba Prefecture. There the vessel reportedly conducted intelligence-gathering operations focused on metropolitan Tokyo before going back to China. These activities prompted Japan to exchange a memorandum with China about controlling research operations in the East China Sea.

The document requires Japan and China to give two months' notice through diplomatic channels on marine research activities in the East China Sea, which is known as Dong Hai in China. Japan must notify China about entering "waters near China," while China must notify Japan about entering "waters near Japan in which Japan has an interest." The latter wording appears to imply that Japan has no rights in the waters.

Under the framework, both nations must provide the names of the research organizations, vessels and ship officers involved, as well as the purpose, specific details and site of proposed research activities. The document says that exchanges under this framework should not influence either side's position regarding maritime-law issues.

Both China and Japan must observe the diplomatic agreement. The Japanese Foreign Ministry says the agreement should help control unchecked Chinese marine research activities in the East China Sea. The most serious problem with this agreement, however, is that it fails to define the two nations' "exclusive economic zones" and the continental shelf lines. In fact, the agreement became necessary because the demarcation lines had not been established.

By allowing China to conduct marine research activities without establishing demarcation lines, Japan effectively sanctioned such activities on the Japanese side of the midway line.

A Chinese research vessel is already active in a wide area between Amami-Oshima Island to Ishigaki Island. Underwater is a large continental shelf. The ship is reportedly using pneumatic devices for acoustic exploration in the waters, where it has repeatedly conducted illegal research operations in recent years. Meanwhile, 400 kilometers west of Yakushima Island, another Chinese vessel is reportedly conducting drilling tests.

With pneumatic devices for exploration and drilling equipment, the Chinese are obviously conducting geological surveys of the sea bottom, disregarding Japanese rights. The Japanese Foreign Ministry says the Chinese activities are for scientific research only and do not pose problems for Japan. Another Chinese research vessel now in the area does not appear to be engaged in abnormal activities, according to the ministry. Going by appearances, some research activities may not seem abnormal, however.

The Foreign Ministry says it has received information about four more Chinese research vessels in the waters. Thus, a total of seven Chinese research vessels are active on the Japanese side of the midway line. Japan is likely to receive further notifications notices from China about marine research activities in the zone.

Some 30 years ago, four Japanese oil companies established concessions and applied for exploration in the same waters, but never received approval for their plans from the Japanese government. Yet Chinese vessels are openly conducting exploration in the zone with blessings from the Japanese government. By failing to control Chinese activities, Japanese government officials are effectively betraying their own country.