hkskyline
June 30th, 2005, 07:54 AM
Japan To Send Vessel To Take Part In Chinese Rescue Drill
29 June 2005
TOKYO (AP)--Japan plans to send a coast guard patrol vessel this weekend to join a Chinese maritime drill and parade for the first time ever, as the two sides work to coordinate rescue operations at sea, an official said Thursday.
The Satsuma will leave the southern prefecture of Kagoshima on Saturday, heading to waters off China's port city of Shanghai, Japan Coast Guard official Masaru Okano told The Associated Press.
The joint maritime operation comes as the Asian rivals seek to ease strained relations, which have been deteriorating since a dispute in April over Japanese textbooks that critics say minimize Tokyo's World War II aggression. That led to protests across China and stirred opposition to Tokyo's campaign for a permanent U.N. Security Council seat.
Japan has maritime-rescue agreements with the U.S., South Korea and Russia, but none with China.
Okano said this weekend's drill was expected to boost contact between the two sides, but didn't indicate plans to sign a maritime pact.
Media reports said the two sides' inadequate communication and coordination of resources has caused delayed or unnecessary dispatches of search-and-rescue teams in recent months.
29 June 2005
TOKYO (AP)--Japan plans to send a coast guard patrol vessel this weekend to join a Chinese maritime drill and parade for the first time ever, as the two sides work to coordinate rescue operations at sea, an official said Thursday.
The Satsuma will leave the southern prefecture of Kagoshima on Saturday, heading to waters off China's port city of Shanghai, Japan Coast Guard official Masaru Okano told The Associated Press.
The joint maritime operation comes as the Asian rivals seek to ease strained relations, which have been deteriorating since a dispute in April over Japanese textbooks that critics say minimize Tokyo's World War II aggression. That led to protests across China and stirred opposition to Tokyo's campaign for a permanent U.N. Security Council seat.
Japan has maritime-rescue agreements with the U.S., South Korea and Russia, but none with China.
Okano said this weekend's drill was expected to boost contact between the two sides, but didn't indicate plans to sign a maritime pact.
Media reports said the two sides' inadequate communication and coordination of resources has caused delayed or unnecessary dispatches of search-and-rescue teams in recent months.