Japan takes over lighthouse on island claimed by the People's Republic of China: Revisionist History In Action?

Story dated 09 February 2005

For those of you unaware of the situation, People's Republic of China has taken a much more aggressive stance in Asia. The PRC is working on an anti-secession law that will make it illegal for any territory claimed by the tyrants of Beijing to declare independence from them. The trouble is that the PRC claims Taiwan (a sovereign nation that has never been ruled by the PRC), and the Senkaku Islands, Japanese territory since the 19th century. The current excitement over the Senkakus comes from the Japanese nationalization of a former privately run lighthouse on one of the islands. "The move comes amid rising tensions between Japan and China, including a dispute over a major gas field near the islands where a Chinese nuclear submarine intruded in November setting off a two-day chase." Keep in mind that the PRC has been very interested in the Senkakus since a U.N. survey discovered possible natural gas deposits there in the late 1960s. My information says that, despite the survey's findings, large natural gas or petroleum deposits have yet to be found. Japan's original interest in the islands was, according to the literature I have read, purely navigational. They wanted the islands as a navigation aid. There had been no prior formal claim. Here's where the revisionist history comes in. The writers of this article state that "Japan declared the oil-rich but uninhabited islands were part of its territory in 1895, the same year it took over Taiwan." Excuse me? If this article is to be believed, Japan always knew there was oil there. The writers of this article are either sloppy, or deliberately trying to undermine Japan's historical claim on the islands (after all, the international press has been attempting to brainwash us all to think that, if oil is a factor in a situation, the person benefiting must somehow be evil). The fact is that this is not true. It is not even confirmed at this time that the Senkakus are 'oil rich' and this article published by the Agence France Presse is either deliberately trying its hand at revisionist history, or is just plain negligent. If it were always known that the Senkakus were oil rich, I don't think that the PRC would have waited until after the U.N. survey to announce its claim.

posted by The Sovereign Editor | 7:30 PM

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