Japanese Defence Minister Onodera Itsunori speaks to journalists at the Ministry of Defence on February 5.
On January 30 a Chinese ship locked what is assumed to be a fire-control radar onto a Japanese ship in the East China sea in the vicinity of the disputed Senkaku Islands. This week, the move has been strongly condemned by the Japanese government, who have confirmed that the Chinese ship directed a radar onto the Japanese warship “Yudachi” which could possibly have been used to guide weapons to the target.
Unsurprisingly given the continuous tension between the two nations, the story has been widely reported in the international press. Below, we bring you netizen reactions to this latest incident.
From Yahoo! Japan:
Chinese Ship Locks Target onto Japanese Vessel in East China Sea – Assertion of China’s Claim to Senkaku Islands Through Intimidation?
On January 30, a Chinese Navy warship locked onto a Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force vessel with its weapon targeting radar in the East China Sea, the Ministry of Defence reported on February 5. It is believed that the radar targeted and followed the Japanese ship’s movements, with the intent to be threatening to those on board.
Onodera Itsunori, the Minister of Defence, is reported as saying on February 5: “It is an extremely alarming situation where one wrong move could have resulted in a very dangerous situation.” Territorial violations by Chinese patrol ships and aircraft have been frequent since the Japanese government’s nationalisation of the Senkaku Islands; however, this latest incident is thought it be a step up from previous menacing behaviour by the Chinese Navy.
The Japanese defence vessel JS Yuudachi, DD-103.
According to the Ministry of Defence, at approximately 10 a.m. on January 30 in the East China Sea, the Chinese frigate Shanwei [Jiangwei] (Grade II) locked onto the Japanese patrol ship Yuudachi (based at the Sasebo military base, Nagasaki prefecture.)
Yuudachi and the Chinese ship were reported to have been 3 kilometres apart, and the Minister of Defence, Onodera said, “They were continually locked onto the Japanese ship for some time.”
Comments from Yahoo! Japan:
zgh*bfg*f（zgh…）さん:
… They treat us with contempt, like always. We need to act fast to increase the defence budget and reform the law.
tou_rikugi（tou…）さん:
Please stop the welfare payments to foreigners.
I can’t understand why we’re giving money to people who come from our enemy’s country. To the politicians and bureaucrats, please stop giving welfare payments to foreigners. Why are the politicians and bureaucrats giving our precious taxes to people of our enemies, Korea and China? Even though the taxes are rising for the Japanese people?
北斗のもの（hok…）さん:
We need to stop all assistance and aid to the chinks immediately.
tsu**shil*ck（tsu…）さん:
This is the same as a declaration of war!
It’s a huge problem!
自称邦楽バカ（pin…）さん:
If you’ve got enough money to be using it for something like that, how about doing something about that air pollution?
Or how about fixing some of those bridges? (笑)
ゆうゆう（sky…）さん:
China’s saying that Japan is eager for a war, but the truth is it’s you guys! This is seriously irresponsible!
dfjdkfjd（djf…）さん:
Who gives a shit～! Sink the fuckers! The Japanese people won’t mind.
ハワイ島（amk…）さん:
Stop screwing us around!
トワイライト（kas…）さん:
Don’t you dare pay even one more yen towards the ODA [Official Development Assistance programme].
国憂未来模索（vic…）さん
China isn’t an ally anymore so just retaliate already!
Show them the strength of Japan!
殿リーマン（tak…）さん:
These people are fucking nutjobs.
1984_The Natural（roy…）さん:
I feel sorry for the members of the Self Defence Forces and the coastal guard who are risking their lives for us.
We need to at least make provisions for war, and sooner rather than later.
3son*ck8*18（son…）さん:
If they locked onto us first, it’s only fair that we do it back!
They’re taking the piss because it’s Japan. They would never do this kind of thing to America, because America would defend itself first.
They’re lighting the smouldering embers of war…
pat*i*_tin（pat…）さん:
I hope the Self Defence Forces set up a permanent residence on the Senkaku Islands soon. It’s obvious that the Chinese are going to attack at some point, regardless of what it’ll do to their relationship with Japan.
ikimono（iki…）さん:
This is scary…
So they really do want to go to war with Japan…
大和魂（k_h…）さん:
They’re really taking the piss now! If you back down now, you’ll have serious questions to answer! Don’t brush it off!
94Rothmans（rot…）さん:
Are you serious?
This kind of threat is really overboard.
not*ro5*（not…）さん:
It’s the proclamation of war from the idiot country that thinks too highly of itself.
グスク（gus…）さん:
Well, what are you going to do now? Abe administration.
You can’t back out, so what will you do?
pea*h*511*55（pea…）さん
I wonder what would have happened if they had changed the flag from the Japanese one to the American one the moment they got targeted.
