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2013 December 11 - 17 TOP3 [JCP]

JCP Ogata urges CPC to retract its ADIZ

Japanese Communist Party Vice Chair Ogata Yasuo on December 12 urged a delegation of the Communist Party of China to retract the air-defense identification zone (ADIZ) that the Chinese government designated over the East China Sea last month.

That day, Ogata had talks with Zhao Shitong, Deputy Director-General of No.2 Bureau of the CPC International Department, at the JCP head office in Tokyo.

Citing a statement JCP Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi made on December 9, Ogata pointed to two problems over the issue: the Chinese-declared ADIZ includes the airspace above the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands; and it treats a large airspace over open waters as if it is Chinese territory and thus violates the freedom of flight guaranteed under international law. He called on his counterpart to cancel the ADIZ, stressing that it will just further increase tensions in the region.

Zhao replied to Ogata as follows: if they leave the Diaoyu Islands (the Chinese name for the Senkakus) out of the zone, it will be in contradiction to Beijing’s stance claiming the islets; and the Chinese government has no intent to encroach on the freedom of flight. He added that they call for Tokyo to negotiate with them over the overlapping area in each other’s identification zone.

Ogata emphasized the JCP’s consistent stance to oppose the infringement of the freedom of flight by any nations.

The vice chair also noted that the JCP proposes a plan to create an international framework for peace and cooperation in Northeast Asia. The Chinese counterpart expressed his approval of the plan.

Past related article:
> JCP calls for withdrawal of China’s ADIZ [December 10, 2013]