COMMENTARY / Japan

Behind the Japanese government’s purchase of the Senkaku Islands

China only laid claim to the islands in the 1970s, despite Japan administering them since 1895

China didn't lay claim to the Senkaku Islands until the 1970s, despite the fact that Japan had administered them since 1895. | KYODO

By Robert D. Eldridge
Contributing writer

Sep 15, 2022

Just over 10 years ago, on Sept. 11, 2012, the administration of then-Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda officially nationalized three of the four privately owned islands in the Senkakus (Minami Kojima, Kita Kojima and Uotsuri Jima).

It did so simply by changing the title to them (back to nationally owned property) following a Cabinet decision to allow their purchase for ¥2.05 billion the previous day.

China strongly criticized Japan’s actions as “changing the status quo,” but in fact it was the Chinese who had long been doing so.

Behind the Japanese government’s purchase of the Senkaku Islands

China only laid claim to the islands in the 1970s, despite Japan administering them since 1895

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