Japan and China Discuss Maritime Boundaries

The exclusive economic zones of Japan and China are like most nations, 200 nautical miles offshore. The boundaries of Japan and China overlap in much of the East China Sea, and at issue are possible underwater oil and gas reserves.

Japan asked China to halt its gas exploration projects and hand over the relevant data, but China declined. China proposed exploring the area jointly, but Japan declined.

The only thing the two countries could only agree on was to create a working group tasked with discussing ways to demarcate the countries' exclusive economic zones in the East China Sea.