Tokyo opposes Beijing’s construction in the overlapping area in the East China Sea

Japan’s coast guard ship near the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu islands in the East China Sea – Photo: REUTERS

According to Reuters news agency, Mr. Kishida said that the Japanese government had sent a note of protest to China through diplomatic channels.

Meanwhile, AFP news agency reported that Japan had lodged a protest with the Chinese Embassy after discovering what Tokyo believes Beijing is developing gas fields in waters disputed with China. Japan in the East China Sea.

A day earlier, Japan’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement confirming China’s increased efforts in developing natural resources in the East China Sea.

Japan’s Foreign Ministry said that China is building in the overlapping exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of the two countries.

Japan “strongly promotes the resumption of negotiations on the implementation” of a bilateral agreement signed in 2008 on the development of resources in the East China Sea, the Japanese foreign ministry said in a statement.

Under the deal, Tokyo and Beijing agreed to jointly develop undersea gas reserves in the disputed area, along with a ban on independent drilling from either country.

However, negotiations on the implementation of the agreement were suspended in 2010.

“It is regrettable that the Chinese side is unilaterally carrying out development activities in these waters. The boundary between the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf has not yet been determined in the East China Sea,” the foreign ministry said. Japan delivery added.

Tokyo has long used the concept of a linear median line following the baselines of the two countries’ coastlines to demarcate and define each side’s exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea.

However, Beijing does not accept this median line, arguing that the boundary should be drawn closer to Japan.