Gas Dispute Deepens Political Tensions Between China and Japan

The growing dispute over the ownership of natural gas fields in the East China Sea reached a new level late last week, with the Chinese government lodging strong protests against the decision by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to permit the trial explorations of the area by Teikoku Oil, a private Japanese company.

Experts have suggested that Japan’s move was designed to force an end to an impasse, but with the political climate between the two countries growing ever darker, others fear that a new round of saber-rattling could be imminent.

While the “hardline approach could backfire,” Japan believes that its latest move was justified as “the only way to gain recognition from China with regard to E&P rights” in the East China Sea, said Keun-Wook Paik, a specialist with the Royal Institute of International Affairs.
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