Opinion | Japan’s diplomatic note on the South China Sea shows its self-interest at play

Last week, Japan became the latest country to submit a diplomatic note to the United Nations on the South China Sea, rejecting China’s position that its drawing of territorial sea baselines around the islands and reefs it claims in the waters conforms to the UN Convention for the Law of the Sea and international law.

A tribunal in The Hague had in 2016 ruled in a dispute brought forth by the Philippines against China that some maritime features in the South China Sea were “low tide elevations” that did not generate sovereignty claims nor enjoy maritime entitlements.

Still, Tokyo in its note pointed out that China had asserted its “sovereignty” in sea and airspace surrounding and above those maritime features found to be low-tide elevations, and protested “overflight of Japanese aircraft in the airspace surrounding Mischief Reef and attempted to restrict the freedom of overflight in the South China Sea”.

The timing of Japan’s note, on the eve of a new president taking office in the United States – its long-time military ally – is significant.

The administration of President Joe Biden is expected to seek a more multilateralist and “rules-based” approach in its policies toward China, including on the South China Sea issue. Japan’s note verbale is perhaps its way of reinforcing its support for its ally, a gift of sorts to the new leadership.