I would like to raise my concerns about Mark Schreiber's Dec. 8 article, "Impending Japan-China war has the makings of a [Tom] Clancy classic."
First of all, any incident on the main shipping routes would impact China as much as it would Japan and South Korea. Even an accident-only scenario would cause insurance premiums to skyrocket instantly, hurting the economy of all three nations.
Second, the suggestion that China may shoot down a civilian airliner is beyond absurdity. The suggestion alone is an insult to any intelligent, informed reader.
Third, it is simply irresponsible to make these rocks in the East China Sea — the Senkakus — an issue that should be worth even one single human life. It is not.
To the very best of my knowledge, as in the 1970s, all that China wants is Japan's recognition that there is an issue. No more, no less. In all likelihood the issue could be put aside for another 30 years if Japan recognized the existence of the issue.
Japan could trade in these five rocks in the ocean for significant economic advantage. Surely China would be able to agree to the joint exploitation of resources as long as the face of these five rocks could be called Chinese territory.
Gentlemen, if violence or a war should be the answer, then it must have been a stupid question. A famous German saying goes: The smarter one gives in. Let's see if Japan is smart.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.