ABSTRACT
Despite strong economic relations between China and Japan, bilateral relations between these two states have been tainted for several decades by a number of disputed issues rooted in historic events. The most tangible evidence of this ongoing tension is the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea, occupied by Japan, claimed by China. 1 This dispute flares up with enough regularity that there is significant concern among policy makers in the United States (US) about potential militarization of the dispute. The dispute has endured for more than 40 years, with no resolution in sight. Neither state has been willing to offer or agree to sovereignty negotiations involving some form of compromise and territorial concessions, instead “shelving” the dispute for decades at a time. 2 This shelving of the dispute essentially means neither state is willing to pursue potential solutions at this time.
