In June 2008, Japan and China agreed on gas development and production projects in the East China Sea by shelving differences over the demarcation of exclusive economic zones (EEZs). Although the agreement was supposed to contribute to building stable bilateral ties, friction has cropped up between the two countries.
It has surfaced that China has been unilaterally pushing development of a gas field that Japan calls "Kashi" and China calls "Tianwaitian." China should stop these activities and start talks with Japan to flesh out the details for the agreement.
Under the June agreement, Japan and China were to explore a 2,700-square-kilometer area south of a gas field called "Asunaro" by Japan and "Longjing" by China. Japanese firms would invest in a Chinese-operated project in a gas field called "Shirakaba" by Japan and "Chunxiao" by China. The two countries also are to continue talks on what to do with the Kashi (Tianwaitian) gas field and another gas field called "Kusunoki" by Japan and "Duanqiao" by China.