<P> United States Navy captain James Fanell has used open source official Chinese media sources to show that China is preparing for a potential short decisive war against Japan to seize the islands . </P> <P> In its 2013 white paper, Japan called recent Chinese actions "incompatible with international law ." The paper also mentioned Operation Dawn Blitz, after China had called for the exercise to be scaled back . </P> <P> Japanese reconnaissance planes and Chinese fighter jets came perilously close in an overlapping disputed airspace over the East China Sea in late May 2014 . The incident occurred as China was taking part in joint maritime exercises with Russia . China and Japan each accused the other of causing a potentially dangerous situation . The airspace where the close encounter took place is claimed by both countries as part of their "air defense identification zones ." Beijing and Tokyo exchanged protests over the incident . </P> <P> In 2014, China seized a cargo ship, the Baosteel Emotion, in compensation for two Chinese ships leased in 1936 . According to China, the ships were used by the Japanese Army and later sunk . Japan has stated that the seizure undermines the Joint Communiqué of the Government of Japan and the Government of the People's Republic of China . </P>

Where is china located in relation to japan