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Japan Starts High Seas Squirt-Gun Fight With Taiwan, Pushes Fishing Boat Flotilla Out of Contested Waters

Steven Sep 26, 2012
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Alright, let’s recap.

Last Tuesday, a flotilla of Taiwanese fishing boats was rumored to have set off for the disputed Senkaku islands, located near the Japanese islands of Okinawa, seeking to assert their ownership among China and Japan.

At around 6 a.m. on Sept. 25, the 50-strong Taiwanese flotilla arrived in the disputed waters. At least eight patrol ships were sailing alongside the fishing vessels and many of the boats were displaying banners reading “We swear to defend the Senkaku islands!”

Japanese coastguard patrol boats moved in to intercept the tiny fleet and warned them to vacate the area. However, the Taiwanese boats maintained their position, asserting that they were in Taiwanese waters and their presence perfectly legitimate. Tensions were running high and it seemed only a matter of time before the conflict turned hostile.

And that’s when Japan decided to bring out the big guns.

I hope you brought a pair of swim trunks sailors, because this territorial dispute is about to get wet with up to 25 feet of soaking action!

That’s right, the Japanese coast guard unloaded high-pressure water cannons on the Taiwanese patrol ships.

Here’s some actual footage of the scuffle (includes less frequent use of slow motion).

The Taiwanese flotilla retreated soon after being fired upon and headed back to Taiwan after only a few hours in the area. It was later said that the flotilla had planned to circle the islands, but not to land.

In any case, the Japanese coastguard were able to dampen their parade before the flotilla could do anything that would serve to escalate the conflict, and they did so without resorting to violence. Wouldn’t it be nice if all international conflicts could be resolved with water guns?

Source: Jiji

■ Our guess is that the flotilla will be back to retaliate with the new Nerf Super Soaker Lightningtorm®.

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Japan, Taiwan
(conflict • fun in the sun • politics • senkaku islands • war)

Trackbacks

China Protests The Senkaku Islands Dispute With Topless Bodypainting

September 27, 2012 at 9:53 AM

[…] and the situation is only growing more intense. Even Taiwan has stepped up their interest, which got them into a naval waterfight with Japan the other day over the issue. Taiwan anywhere near matters of sovereignty with China is usually a […]
Not Quite What It Seems « Yesterday's Shadow

September 30, 2012 at 8:00 AM

[…] stopped what has been a busy week in Chinese news. The Senkaku Island squabble included a water gun fight and a number of anti-Japanese demonstrations including the one mentioned in my last blog. The […]
An Endless Fight in China « Yesterday's Shadow

October 29, 2012 at 7:53 AM

[…] I was surprised at her knowledge of the conflict’s details, and she mentioned how the Japanese blasted a Taiwanese fishing boat with water guns when it had crossed into Japanese claimed […]
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