Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono (Photo: VNA)

The minister made the statement in response to a request by a correspondent of the Vietnam News Agency for comments on escalating tensions in the East Sea due to a series of unilateral activities by China that seriously violate international law, sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction, as well as hinder the  long standing oil and gas activities conducted in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Vietnam  and other littoral countries.

He said that the East Sea is an important sea line for Japan and many other countries. It is directly related to the stability and peace of the region, adding that the international community, including Japan, is paying serious attention to the developing situation in the sea. 

The minister further said that after the recent East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Bangkok, he has raised his concerns about the serious situation in the East Sea, and held that the international community should oppose any unilateral attempt to change the status quo and all coercive actions taken by any country.

The top Japanese diplomat asked all  parties concerned to demilitarise facilities  in the sea, stressing that any dispute must be solved according to international law, most notably the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). 

The countries should continue in emphasising the need to uphold the rule of law in the East Sea, he stated.