Japan could also survey around the disputed isles located in the
overlapped Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) respectively claimed by
Japan and South Korea to counter its neighbor's possible research
action in the water, Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi
warned on Monday.
Yachi's warning followed leaving of port of South Korea's
research vessel for the contentious task. He implied on a press
conference that a Coast Guard maritime survey similar to the one
planned and aborted in April would be Japan's countermeasure, Kyodo
News reported.
The South Korean research ship "Ocean 2000" started in early
morning its mission, which intends to survey ocean currents around
the two disputed islets known as Takeshima in Japan and Dokdo in
South Korea, in the Sea of Japan (the East Sea). The islets are
currently controlled by South Korea but are also claimed by
Japan.
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Monday night asked
South Korea not to be "too emotional," government sources were
quoted as saying.
Earlier in the day, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso and Chief
Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe respectively urged South Korea to
exercise self-restraint on the contentious issue.
During a phone talk with South Korean Foreign Affairs and Trade
Minister Ban Ki Moon, Aso said it would be "extremely regrettable"
if the South Korean government proceeds with the survey, but failed
to make a breakthrough by the conversation, Kyodo said.
Abe for his part called on South Korea to make a "sensible
decision," and warned that Japan will take "appropriate" action
based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and other relevant
domestic laws if South Korea begins the research.
The South Korean side indicated that the survey will go on
through July 14, said the report.
In April, Japanese Coast Guard vessels' intended marine survey
around the disputed islets nearly led to a military confrontation
with South Korea. The Japanese government said the planned survey
came in response to South Korea's move to propose naming the
sea-floor topography of the area on an international
conference.
The two countries later reached a compromise through a vice
ministerial meeting in Seoul, but their EEZ negotiations held in
Tokyo in mid June failed to produce any tangible results except for
an agreement to hold further talks in September.
(Xinhua News Agency July 4, 2006)
