Japan threatens if China starts gas production

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=116364§ionid=351020406


Japan has warned China that it will take action if Beijing starts a gas project in a disputed field in the East China Sea.

Meeting on the sidelines of the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation in Tokyo, Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada told his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi that Tokyo will take 'certain' action if Beijing violates an agreement reached in 2008, Japanese media reported Sunday.

Okada suggested that Japan may start development on its own in the area if China goes ahead with gas production in one of the disputed fields, known as Shirakaba in Japan, a Japanese Foreign Ministry official said.

Yang expressed strong opposition to the Japanese official, saying this was unacceptable. The two ministers agreed on the need to continue frequent high-level dialogue.

The accord allows the two countries to jointly explore gas resources in the disputed East China Sea.

China has set up a gas field only four kilometers from the territory claimed by Japan. Tokyo objects to the gas field's development.

Estimated net known reserves in the disputed fields are a modest 92 million barrels of oil equivalent, but both countries have pursued the issue because there may be larger hidden reserves.


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