Japanese report on Diaoyu voyage

DATE: 21/10/2006
FROM: Junko (淳子) FOX
1/F 1 Nga Kau Wan, Lamma Island, HONG KONG
　香港南Ｙ島牙較灣1號1字樓
TO: 保釣行動委員會
Attn: 柯華先生

大家好!

I went to the press conference on Tuesday and talked to one of Japanese reporters. He was the only Japanese who directly interviewed 柯華先生 after the conference but was still half in doubt. So, there's not much report in Japan so far. The most updated and detailed one is probably the article published in Sankei Shimbun evening issue (産經新聞夕刊) on Oct. 20 (see brief translation below). You can see the Japanese original text here:
http://www.freeml.com/ctrl/htmlmail/foxnews_hongkong@freeml.com/191


I'll see you at 尖沙咀碼頭 tomorrow!


Junko



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Diaoyu activists plan to land on the islands

(***The original Japanese title literally means: Overseas Chinese activists will set their protest to lay claim of sovereignty to "Senkaku" for China on 25th [October] and plan to land on the island(s). )


Hideya YAMAMOTO, Washington

October 19, 2006


US-based Chinese activists head for Taiwan on Thursday night (Friday morning JST) to protest for the disputed Diaoyu Islands ("Senkaku Islands" in Japanese, Ishigaki City, Okinawa Prefecture), according to the local source in US. They will then set sail for the islands with their compatriots in Taiwan by chartered fishing vessels on or around Tuesday. They are expected to enter the waters along with another protest boat from Hong Kong on the next day at earliest. They may challenge landing on the islands, the source said.

Four activists from US, including members of Niuyue Baodiao Lianhehui (Association for Defending the Diaoyu Islands (New York) ), will constitute an expedition team of more than 10 vessels united with about 100 local activists in Taiwan. They plan to join the "Baodiao (Defending the Diaoyu) No. 2", protest boat from Hong Kong organized by the Action Committee for Defending the Diaoyu Islands (about 40 members will be on board) in the open sea area before heading for the islands. Final schedule is to be set after they have arrived in Taiwan.

The Baodiao Lianhehui, organized by Chinese Americans, have been making financial support as well as sending members for a series of protests in the past including the incident when Hong Kong and other activists entered into the disputed waters around the islands.

HK-based Action Committee for Defending the Diaoyu Islands initially planned their voyage to the islands in mid-August. The landing has been made by activists from Taiwan and other area in October 1996 and by mainland Chinese in March 2004 relatively.