The government on Tuesday moved forward to nationalize three of the five islets that compose the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. It signed a ¥2.05 billion contract with the owner of the three islets — Uotsuri, Kita Kojima and Minami Kojima — and decided to use ¥2.05 billion out of the fiscal 2012 budget's reserve fund.
The government's announcement of the signing was ill-timed because it came just after Chinese President Hu Jintao warned during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Vladivostok that the Japanese government's plan to purchase the three islets was "unlawful and null and void." Mr. Hu was standing when he made the remarks in a conversation with Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda. Given the difficult situation with the Senkaku issue, Mr. Hu apparently chose not to sit with Mr. Noda during the talks.
China will surely step up its protest against the purchase of the islets. Japan should therefore make the utmost effort to communicate and fully explain to Beijing why it decided to purchase the islets. China, for its part, should refrain from taking retaliatory action. This would only worsen the situation and harm mutual benefits.