Japan: Militarized islands would expand China influence

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The Associated Press

(FILES) This file handout photo taken on April 2, 2015 by satellite imagery provider DigitalGlobe and released to AFP by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSSI) think tank shows a satellite image of what is claimed to be an under-construction airstrip at Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratly Islands in the disputed South China Sea. Japan on July 21, 2015 slammed Beijing’s bid to reclaim land in the South China Sea as a “coercive attempt” to force sweeping maritime claims, in a defence paper that comes as Tokyo is expanding the role of its own military. AFP PHOTO / MANDATORY CREDIT: CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative / DigitalGlobe —–EDITORS NOTE—- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE — MANDATORY CREDIT — “AFP PHOTO / CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative / DigitalGlobe” – NO MARKETING – NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS – NO ARCHIVES

WASHINGTON — Japan’s top naval officer says the entire South China Sea could fall under China’s military sphere of influence if it uses the artificial islands it has built there for military purposes.

Adm. Tomohisa Takei urged countries in the Indo-Pacific region to forge strong relations with the U.S., whose presence he said was needed for regional stability.

His remarks Wednesday at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank reflect Japanese concern with assertive behavior by China, a strategic rival.

U.S. ally Japan is not among the half-dozen claimant states in the South China Sea, but Takei said those waters need to be free and open for regional prosperity.

China says the new outposts will support services like maritime search and rescue, but hasn’t denied they’ll have military functions too.

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