Eric Watkins
Senior Correspondent
LOS ANGELES, Oct 10 -- Japan's Trade Minister Shoichi Nakagawa has warned that his country will take "bold action" if China is found to be building a pipeline to carry crude oil or natural gas from a disputed region of the East China Sea.
Nakagawa said Japan received information on Oct. 6 that ships carrying lengths of pipe were heading to Tianwaitian and Chunxiao fields.
Nakagawa said the information came from "reliable sources" as well as a video purporting to show a ship heading for the fields carrying a "huge heap" of pipes.
"The number of pipes was obviously too many to just [drill] down. Then what are they for? I can assume the reason, but I'd rather not speak out," Nakagawa said, implying the possibility of a pipeline.
He said the Japanese government had made an inquiry to China about the matter but had received no response.
Last month, the Chinese government confirmed it sent warships to the disputed area on Sept. 29, a day ahead of talks with Japan over territorial claims to waters in which both sides want to drill (OGJ Online, Oct. 10, 2005).
Contact Eric Watkins at [email protected].