U.S. backs Japan`s handling over collision case near disputed islets

TOKYO, Sept. 28 Kyodo -
The United States fully supports Japan's proper handling of collisions between
its Coast Guard vessels and a Chinese fishing boat near a chain of disputed
islets earlier this month and views that there is no need for ''further action
on Japan's part,'' a senior U.S. defense official said Tuesday.
Speaking to Japanese media, Wallace Gregson, assistant secretary of defense
dealing with Asian and Pacific security affairs, said, ''We fully support
Japan's stance in the recent incident,'' and that the United States sees that
the Japanese government ''has acted appropriately.''
Gregson's remark that Japan need not take further action comes as China has
demanded an apology and compensation over the captain's detention, demands
which the Japanese government rejected.
Ties between Tokyo and Beijing remain strained after the boat's captain was
arrested Sept. 8 on suspicion of deliberately causing his fishing boat to
collide with a Coast Guard patrol boat near the Japan-administered Senkaku
Islands, which are also claimed by China.
Gregson told reporters at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo that the United States is
sticking to its position not to take any sides in the dispute over the Senkaku
Islands.
When asked if the Senkaku Islands are subject to Article 5 of the Japan-U.S.
security treaty, Gregson cited the 1972 reversion of Okinawa Prefecture to
Japanese sovereignty from U.S. control, and added that Washington recognizes
that the Senkaku Islands are administered by Japan.
Gregson voiced hope for a ''peaceful resolution,'' and urged all nations
involved in territorial disputes for a continued and ''open dialogue'' in
dealing with maritime and aviation disputes.
On the part of the United States, it will ''confer with the Japanese
authorities as appropriate to try and make sure that this (incident) does not
happen again,'' he said.
In addition to the Senkaku incident, Gregson noted China's lack of transparency
in its growing military modernization and North Korea's development of nuclear
weapons as among regional challenges that make the U.S.-Japan alliance ''as
vibrant and relevant...as ever before.''
Bearing this in mind, he underscored the importance of strong Japan-U.S. ties,
saying, ''We're stronger together than we would be separately, and that
strength derives in some large measure from the presence of U.S. forces in
Japan.''
On the key contentious issue between Tokyo and Washington in relation to a
relocation plan of a major U.S. base in Okinawa, Gregson expressed appreciation
for the Japanese government's ''reaffirmation'' of a bilateral agreement
reached in May.
Okinawa has been opposing the May accord to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps'
Futenma Air Station within the prefecture and wants a review of it. The central
government has taken a stance to defer a final decision on a specific
relocation scheme until after the Okinawa gubernatorial election slated for
November.
Gregson said, ''We are looking forward to agreeing to a final plan for the
Futenma relocation by the time of the next 'two-plus-two' meeting early next
year,'' referring to the bilateral meeting of foreign and defense chiefs under
the ''two-plus-two'' framework.
Gregson also said the United States ''has not asked Japan to increase its
commitment to support Marine relocation to Guam,'' alluding to media reports
that Japan is considering increasing its expenditures for moving some U.S.
Marines from Okinawa to Guam.
==Kyodo