Japan has touched off strong opposition from its neighbors by promoting an unreasonable project aimed at maximizing its maritime profits. The main point of the project is to acquire an exclusive economic zone and continental shelves based on Okinotorishima, a coral reef about 1,740 km south of Tokyo, which is only 70 centimeters above the surface of the sea. The EEZ that Japan is about to declare through Okinotorishima is 430,000 square kilometers, which is even wider than the nation’s total land area.

On April 28, Asiaone, a Singapore-based media outlet, reported that the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf has approved continental shelf and EEZ including Okinotorishima. According to the article, the UNCLCS has approved 310,000 square kilometers including the Okinotorishima area. The total size of the continental shelves reported amount to about 80 percent of Japan’s total land area.

The Japanese government has been working on the Okinotorishima project since 1931. As the rock was “terra nullius,” the Japanese government could possess it. Neighbor nations have not raised any kinds of objections to that point so far. However, Okinotorishima does not satisfy the conditions for claiming an EEZ and continental shelf.

According to Article 121-3 of the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, rocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf. This is the ground for strong opposition from neighbor nations about the matter.

During an international seminar hosted by Society of Ieodo Research in June of last year, Jon Van Dyke pointed out the fact that Okinotorishima cannot sustain human habitation or economic life.

In 1989, since Okinotorishima was located in the path of typhoons, Japan built an artificial island around the rock by investing 60 billion yen for erosion control. The Japanese government also has a plan to complete infrastructure for the exploitation of ocean resources, harbor facilities and roads by 2016.

On Nov. 11, 2008, the Japanese government submitted the document to expand the continental shelf which exceed 200 nautical miles. As a result, Japan is facing a growing antipathy from Korea and China. Japan is, in short, claiming a continental shelf using the ocean base constructed over the coral reef, which is only 70 centimeters above the surface of the sea.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin was quoted as saying: “China’s position is consistent: There should be no EEZ and continental shelf starting from Okinotorishima reef under international law.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Korea also stated that CLCS is not authorized to approve the rock as an island.

It is not yet clear whether the CLCS approved the continental shelf based on Okinotorishima. Nevertheless, Japan’s proclaiming of the continental shelf and EEZ is not only out of line with UNCLOS but also will negatively affect relations between Japan and her neighbors.

Japan’s claim, which violates the law, will make for an uneasy relationship between northeast Asian countries.

Maximizing national interest is the goal of every nation, and it should be done peacefully and reasonably according to the international law. It is time for the Japanese government to make a wise decision for peace and stability in Northeast Asia.

By Koh Choong-suk

Koh Choong-suk is president of Society of Ieodo Research. ― Ed.