Japan and China Heading for War? Seems Like its Getting More Likely by the Minute

Last night I read the news on a Tokyo area radio station that is also broadcast nationally by Internet radio. The first seven of the top stories all had to do with the new Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe and the economy, South East Asia, and the Senkaku Islands.

Sea of China

Now big deal, right? Well, not exactly. What struck me was that in all of the stories, sourced from Japan's Kyodo News service, the Senkaku Islands were mentioned at least once.

I was hoping that the rhetoric between Japan and China was being toned down. But it seems it's not.

Japan China Relations Ruined Over Rocks? Insanity! The New Asia Arms Race!

Unbelievable. The Japanese government goes out and buys some islands disputed by China? What the hell did they go and do that and antagonize China for?

Now, China is sending warships to the islands? Of course, then, Japan will send ships of their own too.

The News On Japan reports:

A territorial flare-up between China and Japan intensified Tuesday as two Beijing-sent patrol ships arrived near disputed East China Sea islands in a show of anger over Tokyo's purchase of the largely barren outcroppings from their private owners.

The China Marine Surveillance has drawn up a plan to safeguard China's sovereignty of the islands and the ships were sent to assert those claims, said the Chinese government's official news agency, Xinhua. The marine agency is a paramilitary force whose ships are often lightly armed.

The rocky islands, known as Senkaku to Japanese and Diaoyu to Chinese, have been the focus of recurring spats between the countries and also are claimed by Taiwan. The China-Japan dispute has been heating up in recent months, in part because the nationalist governor of Tokyo proposed buying the islands and developing them.

Japan's central government announced its own deal this week with the Japanese family it recognizes as the owner. Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura told reporters the government budgeted 2.05 billion yen ($26 million) for the purchase "to maintain the Senkakus peacefully and stably."

Public broadcaster NHK said the government and the family signed a deal Tuesday.

The central government does not plan to develop the islands. Several experts interpreted the move as an attempt to block the plan by Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara, which could have raised tensions further. Ishihara also had said he hoped to visit the islands in October.

Complete and total madness....

Here's more on the Asian Arms Race and current naval strength:

To read more about the Arms Race in Asia see Zero Hedge "In Response To Japanese "Antagonism" Over Senkaku Islands, China Dispatches Two Patrol Ships" here.