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Maritime Territorial and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Disputes Involving China
Appendix B. U.S. Treaties with Japan and
Philippines
This appendix presents brief background information on the U.S. security treaties with Japan and
the Philippines.
U.S.-Japan Treaty on Mutual Cooperation and Security
The 1960 U.S.-Japan treaty on mutual cooperation and security46 states in Article V that
Each Party recognizes that an armed attack against either Party in the territories under the
administration of Japan would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that
it would act to meet the common danger in accordance with its constitutional provisions
and processes.
The United States has reaffirmed on a number of occasions over the years that since the Senkaku
Islands are under the administration of Japan, they are included in the territories referred to in
Article V of the treaty, and that the United States "will honor all of our treaty commitments to our
treaty partners."147 (At the same time, the United States, noting the difference between
administration and sovereignty, has noted that such affirmations do not prejudice the U.S.
approach of taking no position regarding the outcome of the dispute between China, Taiwan, and
Japan regarding who has sovereignty over the islands.) Some observers, while acknowledging the
U.S. affirmations, have raised questions regarding the potential scope of actions that the United
States might take under Article V'148
U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty149
The 1951 U.S.-Philippines mutual defense treaty15 states in Article IV that
146 Treaty of mutual cooperation and security, signed January 19, 1960, entered into force June 23, 1960, 11 UST 1632;
TIAS 4509; 373 UNTS.
147 The quoted words are from Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, in "Media Availability with Secretary Hagel En
Route to Japan," April 5, 2014, accessed April 9, 2014, at http://archive.defense.gov/transcripts/transcript.aspx?
transcriptid=5405. See also Associated Press, "US: Will Stand by Allies in Disputes with China," Military.com, April
3, 2014.
148 See, for example, Yoichiro Sato, "The Senkaku Dispute and the US-Japan Security Treaty," PacNet #57 (Pacific
Forum CSIS, Honolulu, Hawaii), September 10, 2012, accessed October 2, 2012, at http://csis.org/files/publication/
Pac1257.pdf; James R. Holmes, "Thucydides, Japan and America," The Diplomat, November 27, 2012; Shigemi Sato,
"Japan, U.S. To Discuss Revising Defense Guidelines," DefenseNews.com (Agence France-Presse), November 11,
2012; Martin Fackler, "Japan Seeks Tighter Pact With U.S. To Confront China," NYTimes.com, November 9, 2012;
"Japan, U.S. To Review Defense Guidelines," Japan Times, November 11, 2012; "Defense Official To Visit U.S. To
Discuss Alliance," Kyodo News, November 8, 2012; Yuka Hayashi, "U.S. Commander Chides China Over
'Provocative Act,"' Wall Street Journal, February 16, 2013: 7; Julian E. Barnes, "U.S., Japan Update Plans To Defend
Islands," New York Times, March 20, 2013. See also Kiyoshi Takenaka, "China "Extremely Concerned" About U.S.-
Japan Island Talk, Reuters), March 21, 2013; Wendell, Minnick, "Senkakus Could Be Undoing of Asia Pivot," Defense
News, April 15, 2013: 16; Item entitled "U.S. Warns China" in Bill Gertz, "Inside the Ring: NSA Contractor Threat,"
Washington Times, June 19, 2013; Anthony Fensom, "Yamaguchi: China Military Build-Up Risks Accident," The
Diplomat, June 21, 2013.
149 For additional discussion of U.S. obligations under the U.S.-Philippines mutual defense treaty, see CRS Report
R43498, The Republic of the Philippines and U.S. Interests 2014, by Thomas Lum and Ben Dolven.
150 Mutual defense treaty, signed August 30, 1951, entered into force August 27, 1952, 3 UST 3947, TIAS 2529, 177
UNTS 133.Congressional Research Service
77
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O'Rourke, Ronald. Maritime Territorial and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Disputes Involving China: Issues for Congress, report, August 17, 2017; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1020870/m1/82/?rotate=0: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.