The Problem with Islands: Is There a Long-term Solution to the Senkaku-Diaoyu Islands Conflict?

The Problem with Islands: Is There a Long-term Solution to the Senkaku-Diaoyu Islands Conflict?

The article traces the history of the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands and explores the underlying reasons why they have become the site of a political dispute between China and Japan. The paper suggests that islands have a specific ambiguity to them that makes them an easy space on to which to project political power and insecurity. Stress is placed on the changing concepts of geographical space that complicate what might otherwise have been a minor disagreement over islands and suggests how cultural factors have made uninhabited islands into a hot button issue that determines military budgets. The final section of the paper makes concrete suggestions as to how the conflict might be defused through cultural exchange and a broader conception of local issues. The author suggests that efforts to promote codependence and highlight local issues could make a difference because they will bring the focus of attention to the local communities.

The article traces the history of the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands and explores the underlying reasons why they have become the site of a political dispute between China and Japan. The paper suggests that islands have a specific ambiguity to them that makes them an easy space on to which to project political power and insecurity. Stress is placed on the changing concepts of geographical space that complicate what might otherwise have been a minor disagreement over islands and suggests how cultural factors have made uninhabited islands into a hot button issue that determines military budgets. The final section of the paper makes concrete suggestions as to how the conflict might be defused through cultural exchange and a broader conception of local issues. The author suggests that efforts to promote codependence and highlight local issues could make a difference because they will bring the focus of attention to the local communities.