Japan's opposition party vows to protect disputed islands

The head of the Liberal Democratic Party accused China of trying to obscure Japan's actual control over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands.

Shinzo Abe, the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, Japan's largest opposition party, has pledged to strengthen the country's Coast Guard to improve its ability to defend the Senkaku Islands, as they are known in Japan and Diaoyu in China.

Speaking at a speech on November 29 in Tokyo, Liberal Democratic Party President Abe said that China is trying to obscure Japan's de facto control over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands by frequently sending coast guard ships to intrude into the islands' territorial waters.

Mr. Abe is tough on China (photo: thetimes)

Mr. Abe stressed the need to quickly strengthen the capacity of the Coast Guard, Japan's maritime management agency: "If the Liberal Democratic Party comes to power, we will increase the budget for the Coast Guard and the Ministry of Defense. However, even if we increase the budget now, it will take two years to have a new fleet. Therefore, Japan needs to transfer decommissioned warships to the Coast Guard, and at the same time, integrate the Self-Defense Force's rapid response reserve units into the Coast Guard."

Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, in a speech on the street on November 29, when mentioning the foreign policy of the ruling Democratic Party, emphasized the need to restrain oneself in language so as not to provoke other countries. Prime Minister Noda said that diplomatic issues should be handled calmly on the basis of national interests, while at the same time avoiding affecting the overall situation in relations with other countries.

According to analysts, differences in foreign policy, especially on the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands issue, will be one of the main topics in the election campaign of Japan's two largest parties, the ruling Democratic Party and the opposition Liberal Democratic Party. This topic is likely to become one of the focal points of the debate between the party chairmen scheduled to be held on the afternoon of November 30./.

According to (vov.vn)-LT