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Japan offers compromise with China on gas: report
2007-03-03
Japan has proposed to China joint development of a broad area around disputed gas fields in a bid to resolve a key source of friction between the Asian powers, a newspaper said Friday. An official immediately denied the reported proposal, which Japan's Nikkei business daily described as a compromise by Tokyo to break a long deadlock in negotiations. Japan and China, two of the world's biggest energy importers, dispute control over potentially lucrative gas fields in the East China Sea. China began test-drilling in 2003. Japan accuses China of starting production and siphoning off gas on Tokyo's side. According to the Nikkei, Japan has proposed to China that the two countries jointly develop the entire area and work together to select companies that would be involved. Tokyo would foot the bill for the drilling facility that China has already set up, said the newspaper, which did not specify its sources. "Japan seeks to effectively shelve the contentious issue of setting a demarcation line," the Nikkei said. China has previously proposed joint development only on what Japan considers its side of the maritime border. The Nikkei said Japan's Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi made the proposal on a visit to Beijing in January and that Japan hoped for a deal in time for Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's rare visit to Tokyo in April. A trade ministry official involved in the negotiations denied the report. "We've never thought of negotiating with China on such an idea," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity. "We have been demanding China immediately stop its current development in the disputed gas fields and will keep discussing the demarcation issue," he said. But he added that the two countries "are discussing a lot of options" and that he did not know what was on the table for the next senior-level talks due in Tokyo later this month. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been working to mend ties with China which were badly strained by his predecessor Junichiro Koizumi's visits to a controversial war shrine.
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 Japan, China to discuss disputed gas field: official (2009-01-07) | | Japan, China to jointly develop gas field: statement (2008-06-18) | | Japan, China strike landmark gas-sharing deal (2008-06-18) | | Toxic dumplings, gas row on agenda as China, Japan meet (2008-02-22) | | Japan says gap remains with China on sea (2007-10-12) | | Wen addresses Japan's parliament (2007-04-12) |  Japan offers compromise with China on gas: report (2007-03-03) | | Japan, China likely to resume East China Sea gas talks early in 2007 (2006-12-23) | | Japan, China Foreign Ministry spokesmen to hold dialogue Tues. (2006-08-07) | | China's CNOOC starts production at disputed gas field (2006-08-05) | | China bans ships near Japan sea border-reports (2006-04-16) | | Japan must lodge protest against China over ship traffic ban: Takebe (2006-04-16) | | China's CNOOC says disputed gas field work on track (2006-04-06) | | Japan confirming report on China's start of gas output in E. China Sea (2006-04-06) | | Nikai to visit China next week to hold gas talks (2006-02-17) | | China, Japan to discuss oil dispute (2006-01-09) | | Japan accepts proposal to jointly develop East China Sea resources (2006-01-07) | | U.S. Envoy: Japan, China Must Resolve Disputes (2005-11-30) | | Japan: China Military Buildup Big Concern (2005-11-20) | | New Japan trade min wants to visit China this year (2005-11-01) | | Japan's foreign minister to visit China (2005-10-13) | | Next round of Japan-China talks on disputed gas deposits proposed (2005-10-03) | | Japan "upset" over Chinese warships near disputed area (2005-10-02) | | Japan's trade minister accuses China of stalling on talks (2005-10-02) | | Japan, China split on gas, to hold more talks (2005-10-01) |
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