The Senkaku dispute represents not only a Japan-China confrontation but also a potential trigger for U.S. military involvement and even a wider conflict. Despite its gravity, the issue remains under-discussed in Japan. Recognizing the Senkaku crisis as a real national emergency is essential for Japan’s security and sovereignty.

If this is not a national crisis for Japan, then what is.
Yet within Japan, the Senkaku issue has not even become a subject of debate in the arena of national politics.
2018-01-17
The following continues from the previous chapter.
The Senkakus contain not only a confrontation between China and Japan but also a massive latent crisis that could make the United States itself a party to military conflict due to the commitments of the Japan-U.S. alliance.
In the worst case, it is a source of conflict that could escalate into full-scale war between the United States and China.
Despite such gravity, the Senkaku issue is astonishingly underestimated on the Japanese side.
This is a situation in which Japan’s own territory could be taken.
A country that openly declares its intention to seize it sends armed vessels into Japan’s territorial waters almost weekly and displays that intent.
If this is not a national crisis for Japan, then what is.
Yet within Japan, the Senkaku issue has not even become a subject of debate in the arena of national politics.
If China actually uses military force, what will Japan do.
The greatest reliance would likely be the deterrent power of the U.S. military.
It would be joint defense action by U.S. forces based on the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty.
However, even that joint defense may not be activated unless Japan itself moves proactively.
If the Japanese government and people seriously consider national security and do not wish to abandon Japan’s inherent territory, it is essential to recognize and debate the Senkaku crisis as an immediate and grave reality.