PRESS CONFERENCE

Tensions around the Senkaku islands
Tomomi Inada, Executive Acting Secretary-General, LDP
Hiroshi Yamada, Member, House of Councillors, LDP
Yoshihiko Yamada, Professor, School of Marine Science and Technology Department of Marine Science, Tokai University

12:30-13:30 Thursday, May 16, 2024
Language: The speech and Q & A will be in Japanese with English interpretation.
*Time of the event may be changed 30 minutes due to speakers' schedules.

On April 27, a group of five lawmakers including former Defense Minister Tomomi Inada visited areas around the Senkaku islands in the East China – the first such inspection by members of parliament since 2013. Inada is currently the executive acting secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

During their trip, Japanese coast guard vessels were warned by Chinese coast guard patrol boats. The Chinese embassy later said in a statement that it had lodged a complaint at what it called "infringement and provocation” by Japan. The Japanese government did not allow the politicians to land on the islands.

China, which calls the islands Diaoyu, and Taiwan, which calls them Diaoyutai, both claim them as their sovereign territory. Japan’s position is that there is no dispute as the islands are its territory.

Inada and Hiroshi Yamada, a two-term LDP lawmaker, will discuss their trip and the security situation surrounding the Senkaku islands. They will be joined by Yoshihiko Yamada, a professor at Tokai University's Department of Marine Science, who was part of the excursion to the islands.

How to attend:
Please register at front@fccj.or.jp with your name, the name of your media outlet, and FCCJ membership number. Due to space restrictions attendance will be limited. Doors open 15 minutes before the event.

How to watch online: https://www.youtube.com/c/FCCJchannel/live

How to ask questions: https://forms.gle/TeSmQX2okTmfYGoLA
Members watching the event online can submit questions for the speakers in advance using this submission form.

TV crew: Please make a reservation at front@fccj.or.jp Doors open for TV crews only at 30 minutes before the event.

Professional Activities Committee