In a statement Nakagawa said, “With the approval of local people concerned, including fishermen, we want to launch the survey by sending in ships early next month. The government will carry out the initial exploration with an eye to conducting test drilling.”
This announcement is the latest salvo between the two governments over the matter of drilling rights at the EEZ. Japan has already lodged an official complaint with China over Beijing’s green lighting of a drilling facility at the border and claims it has a right to a share in any resources found straddling the line.
China, in turn, has said both “nothing doing” and “let’s work together on this” but to no avail. Up to 200 billion cubic metres of natural gas reserves are estimated to be in the area over several fields.
