The Okinawa Trough and the Senkaku Islands sovereignty dispute in the East China Sea continental shelf delimitation

Abstract

In the East China Sea a tiny group of islands, referred to as the Diaoyu Islands by China and the Senkaku Islands by Japan (the Senkaku Islands), is the subject of a territorial dispute between China and Japan. The sovereignty debate over the Senkaku Islands was ignited in recent years when China identified the islands as ‘baselines’ for its continental shelf claim in the East China Sea. Specific issues discussed herein include inter alia the importance of the Okinawa Trough in the delimitation dispute, both scientifically and legally, furthermore, the questions whether the Senkaku Islands were terra nullius when Japan annexed them in 1985 and whether Japan acquired title through acquisitive prescription. The dissertation identifies and analyses these issues and others involved in the delimitation and sovereignty disputes with reference to current international law, as interpreted and applied by international judicial authorities.