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Quoted from www.asahi.com/English
Diet passes bills to protect Japan EEZ
04/21/2007
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
Amid unceasing tension with China over natural gas resources, the Upper House on Friday passed two bills intended to protect Japan's interests in its exclusive economic zone.
The basic maritime law and the law on establishing safety areas for maritime structures are aimed at establishing a system to deal with contingencies in surrounding waters and to protect Japan's national interests.
The two bills, initiated by a cross-party group of lawmakers from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and opposition Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan), are expected to take effect in July, lawmakers said.
The bills were approved Thursday by a majority vote in the Upper House's Committee on Land and Transport.
Under the new system, a post for a Cabinet minister in charge of maritime policies will be created, according to the lawmakers.
A headquarters for maritime policies, headed by the prime minister, will also be introduced.
Other measures in the bills are intended to develop natural resources, introduce safety measures for maritime transportation and maintain security in coastal areas of up to 200 nautical miles.
"Safety zones" will be set up within 500 meters of structures inside the EEZ, such as manmade islands and drilling facilities.
Such a move is permissible under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which Japan has signed.
After the laws go into force, entry into those safety areas will be banned unless approved by the transport minister.
Companies have long been waiting to start development projects for resources, such as natural gas, in Japan's EEZ. The zone also ensures security in Japan's territorial waters for fisheries and maritime distribution.
However, the government has made no extra efforts in improving its maritime policies, mainly because of the complicated and troublesome supervisory functions concerning the EEZ.
For example, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is in charge of resources development projects, while the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is responsible for security inside the EEZ.
As many as eight central government entities are involved in matters concerning the EEZ.
In addition, the vertically segmented administration systems of those organizations have prevented them from smoothly taking coordinated action.
The U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, which allows countries facing the ocean to have EEZs, took effect in 1994.
China and South Korea have been quicker than Japan in strengthening their maritime policies.
In 1996, Beijing compiled basic strategies to bolster its maritime development projects.
Seoul consolidated entities with authority over its EEZ the same year, and enacted a basic law concerning development of marine products in 2002.
Japan's bills are largely seen as countermeasures against China, which continues to develop natural gas fields in the East China Sea. Japanese officials fear the Chinese projects could suck out gas from Japan's EEZ.
However, Japan has been struggling to come up with effective measures to break the stalemate.
Within about one year after the two laws go into force, the government intends to use the new maritime headquarters to hammer out policies to protect Japan's interests inside the EEZ, according to the lawmakers.(IHT/Asahi: April 21,2007)
Copyright The Asahi Shimbun Company. All rights reserved.
Diet passes bills to protect Japan EEZ
04/21/2007
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
Amid unceasing tension with China over natural gas resources, the Upper House on Friday passed two bills intended to protect Japan's interests in its exclusive economic zone.
The basic maritime law and the law on establishing safety areas for maritime structures are aimed at establishing a system to deal with contingencies in surrounding waters and to protect Japan's national interests.
The two bills, initiated by a cross-party group of lawmakers from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and opposition Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan), are expected to take effect in July, lawmakers said.
The bills were approved Thursday by a majority vote in the Upper House's Committee on Land and Transport.
Under the new system, a post for a Cabinet minister in charge of maritime policies will be created, according to the lawmakers.
A headquarters for maritime policies, headed by the prime minister, will also be introduced.
Other measures in the bills are intended to develop natural resources, introduce safety measures for maritime transportation and maintain security in coastal areas of up to 200 nautical miles.
"Safety zones" will be set up within 500 meters of structures inside the EEZ, such as manmade islands and drilling facilities.
Such a move is permissible under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which Japan has signed.
After the laws go into force, entry into those safety areas will be banned unless approved by the transport minister.
Companies have long been waiting to start development projects for resources, such as natural gas, in Japan's EEZ. The zone also ensures security in Japan's territorial waters for fisheries and maritime distribution.
However, the government has made no extra efforts in improving its maritime policies, mainly because of the complicated and troublesome supervisory functions concerning the EEZ.
For example, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is in charge of resources development projects, while the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is responsible for security inside the EEZ.
As many as eight central government entities are involved in matters concerning the EEZ.
In addition, the vertically segmented administration systems of those organizations have prevented them from smoothly taking coordinated action.
The U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, which allows countries facing the ocean to have EEZs, took effect in 1994.
China and South Korea have been quicker than Japan in strengthening their maritime policies.
In 1996, Beijing compiled basic strategies to bolster its maritime development projects.
Seoul consolidated entities with authority over its EEZ the same year, and enacted a basic law concerning development of marine products in 2002.
Japan's bills are largely seen as countermeasures against China, which continues to develop natural gas fields in the East China Sea. Japanese officials fear the Chinese projects could suck out gas from Japan's EEZ.
However, Japan has been struggling to come up with effective measures to break the stalemate.
Within about one year after the two laws go into force, the government intends to use the new maritime headquarters to hammer out policies to protect Japan's interests inside the EEZ, according to the lawmakers.(IHT/Asahi: April 21,2007)
Copyright The Asahi Shimbun Company. All rights reserved.
