site.news_by_theme island
Japan suggests hotline to Beijing over island spat
Japan has suggested setting up a military hotline with China to avoid clashes between the two countries, which are at loggerheads over a group of disputed islands.
09 February 2013
Solomons seeks to prevent mass dolphin killings
The Solomon Islands on Friday urged villagers to stop the mass slaughter of dolphins, saying the traditional practice was damaging the Pacific nation's tourism industry.
01 February 2013
Taiwan boat leaves islands after Japan water cannon duel
A boat carrying Taiwanese activists headed for disputed Japanese-controlled islands turned back Thursday after coastguard vessels from the two sides converged and duelled with water cannon.
27 January 2013
Taiwan activists head for Japan-controlled isles
A boatload of Taiwanese activists protected by the island's coastguard was Thursday heading for Japanese-held islands at the centre of a bitter international wrangle involving Tokyo, Beijing and Taipei.
25 January 2013
Clinton stands by Japan on China island row
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued a veiled warning Friday to China not to challenge Japan's control of disputed islands as Tokyo's new government vowed not to aggravate tensions.
20 January 2013
Thousands flee wildfires in southern Australia
Thousands fled wildfires raging on the Australian island of Tasmania, destroying at least 80 properties and leaving unconfirmed reports of one man dying in the blaze.
07 January 2013
Japan scrambles fighters for China plane
Japan scrambled fighter jets on Thursday after one Chinese state-owned aeroplane entered airspace over islands at the centre of a dispute between Tokyo and Beijing.
14 December 2012
Missing Pacific island riddle solved: researcher
A New Zealand researcher Monday claimed to have solved the riddle of a mystery South Pacific island shown on Google Earth and world maps which does not exist, blaming a whaling ship from 1876.
03 December 2012
Aussie scientists un-discover Pacific island
A South Pacific island identified on Google Earth and world maps does not exist, according to Australian scientists who went searching for the mystery landmass during a geological expedition.
22 November 2012
Japan wants 'mutually beneficial' relations with new China
Japan said Thursday it wants to develop "mutually beneficial" relations with China's new leaders, as the two countries remain embroiled in a dispute over islands in the East China Sea.
15 November 2012
S. Korea to triple budget in Japan island dispute
A South Korean parliamentary committee has agreed to nearly triple a special budget for promoting Seoul's sovereignty over an isolated set of islands also claimed by Japan.
12 November 2012
Toyota ups full-year profit target to $9.7 billion
Toyota Monday hiked its full-year profit forecast to 780 billion yen ($9.7 billion) despite saying it expected to sell fewer cars due to weakness in Europe and China and a Sino-Japanese territorial row.
05 November 2012
Chinese ships enter waters disputed with Japan
Four Chinese government ships entered territorial waters around disputed Tokyo-controlled islands early Thursday, the Japanese coastguard said, sparking a strong protest from Japan.
26 October 2012
S. Korean MPs to visit islands disputed with Japan
A group of South Korean lawmakers were set Tuesday to visit an isolated set of islands at the heart of a territorial dispute with Japan -- a move likely to stoke tensions with Tokyo still more.
24 October 2012
Japan PM to reshuffle cabinet 'to cool China row'
Japan's unpopular prime minister will use a cabinet reshuffle Monday to try to mend fences with China and to boost his flagging popularity ahead of an expected general election.
01 October 2012
Author Murakami wades into Japan-China island row
Haruki Murakami, one of the world's foremost novelists, waded into the territorial row between China and Japan on Friday, warning of the perils of politicians offering the "cheap liquor" of nationalism.
30 September 2012
US urges 'cooler heads' to preserve Asia's stability
The US on Thursday called for cooler heads to prevail amid regional tensions over disputed island chains, saying it was vital for the world economy to preserve stability in Asia.
29 September 2012
Japan 'stole' our islands: China tells UN
China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi sparked angry exchanges with Japanese diplomats at the United Nations on Thursday by accusing Japan of stealing disputed islands.
28 September 2012
Eight die in Indonesia ferry sinking: official
At least eight people were killed Wednesday after a ferry carrying more than 200 people sank in the waters off Indonesia's Sumatra island after colliding with a cargo tanker.
26 September 2012
Toyota, Nissan cut China output over island row
Japanese auto giants Toyota and Nissan are reducing production in China because demand for Japanese cars has been hit by a bitter row over disputed islands.
26 September 2012