Japan Calls for China Restraint in South China Sea

Tokyo, Sept. 5 (Jiji Press)--Japan on Monday called on China to refrain from taking unilateral actions after the Philippines claimed that Beijing has deployed large vessels, possibly dredgers, to the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. China's action was aimed at further establishing its presence in the area, and this poses serious concern, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press conference. "Unilateral actions that heighten tensions between nations should be severely restricted," he said. Japan strongly hopes that China will comply with an international tribunal ruling in July that rejected its territorial claims in the South China Sea and that disputes in the sea will be resolved peacefully, Suga said. On Sunday, a U.S. State Department official said that the United States is paying close attention to the situation at Scarborough Shoal. The country will urge other nations involved to exercise restraint and take effective measures to ease tensions, the official stressed. END