Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-42gr6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T22:00:13.426Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Japan's renunciation of territorial rights in Antarctica and Australian diplomacy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 October 2009

Shirley V. Scott
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

By Article 2(e) of the 1951 Treaty of Peace, Japan renounced ‘all claim to any right or title to or interest in connection with any part of the Antarctic area.’ This paper traces the process by which Australian diplomacy ensured the inclusion of such a provision in the Treaty and assesses the contemporary significance of the article. While in the unlikely event of the breakdown of the Antarctic Treaty System, Japan would be legally entitled to make a territorial claim on the basis of activities undertaken between the conclusion of the Peace Treaty and the coming into force of the Antarctic Treaty, such a claim would likely be weak. It is more probable that the Japanese government would assert that, just as Japan had had no rights to renounce in Antarctica, neither had any of the Antarctic claimants complied adequately with the provisions in international law for territorial acquisition.

Type
Research Article
Information
Polar Record , Volume 35 , Issue 193 , April 1999 , pp. 99 - 106
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Asahina, K. 1973. Japanese Antarctic expedition of 1911–12. In: Edholm, O.G., and Gunderson, E.K.E. (editors). Polar human biology: the proceedings of the SCAR/IUPS/IUBS symposium on human biology and medicine in the Antarctic. London: Heinemann Medical: 8–14.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beck, P. 1991. The Antarctic resource conventions implemented: consequences for the sovereignty issue. In: Jorgensen-Dahl, A., and Ostreng, W. (editors). The Antarctic Treaty System in world politics. Houndmills: Macmillan: 229–276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bonner, W.N. 1987. Antarctic science and conservation: the historical background. Environment International 13: 19–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bush, W.M. 1982a. Antarctica and international law: a collection of inter-state and national documents. Vol. II. London: Oceana.Google Scholar
Bush, W.M. 1982b. Antarctica and international law: a collection of inter-state and national documents. Vol. III. London: Oceana.Google Scholar
Colwell, M. 1969. Whaling around Australia. Adelaide: Rigby.Google Scholar
David, M.E. 1937. Professor David: the life of Sir Edgeworth David. London: Edward Arnold.Google Scholar
Dunn, F.S. 1963. Peace-making and the settlement with Japan. Princeton: Princeton University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hamre, I. 1933. The Japanese South Polar expedition of 1911–1912: a little-known episode in Antarctic exploration. The Geographical Journal 82 (5): 411–423.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hanessian, J. Jr 1963. Japan and the Antarctic: a brief commentary on recent interest and an historical summary. American Universities Field Staff Reports Sevice. Polar Area Series 3 (1) (04): 1–29.Google Scholar
Heap, J.A. 1990. Antarctic sovereignty: a source of stress? In: Herr, R.A., Hall, H.R., and Haward, M.G. (editors). Antarctica's future: continuity or change? Hobart: Australian Institute of International Affairs: 181–187.Google Scholar
Joyner, C.C. 1989. Japan and the Antarctic Treaty System. Ecology Law Quarterly 16: 155–169.Google Scholar
Lillie, H.R. 1948. The Antarctic in world affairs. Canadian Geographical Journal 36 (6): 283–294.Google Scholar
Osada, Y. 1994. Japanese policy attitudes to Antarctica: minerals issues. In: Herr, R.A., and Davis, B.W. (editors). Asia in Antarctica. Canberra: Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies, Australian National University, with the Antarctic Cooperative Research Centre: 85–92.Google Scholar
Reeves, J.S. 1939. Antarctic sectors. American Journal of International Law 33 (3): 519–521.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sahurie, E.J. 1992. The international law of Antarctica. New Haven: New Haven Press.Google Scholar
Scott, S.V. 1997. Universalism and title to territory in Antarctica. Nordic Journal of International Law 66: 33–53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Simpson, F.A. 1952. The Antarctic today: a mid-century survey by the New Zealand Antarctic Society. Wellington: A.H. and A.W. Reed.Google Scholar
Swan, R.A. 1955. Forgotten Antarctic venture: the first Japanese South Polar expedition 1911–1912. Walkabout (1 August): 31–33.Google Scholar
Swan, R.A. 1961. Australia in the Antarctic: interest, activity and endeavour. Melbourne: Melbourne University Press.Google Scholar
Taijudo, K. 1959. Japan and the problems of sovereignty over the polar regions. Japanese Annual of International Law 3: 12–17.Google Scholar
Tønnessen, J.N., and Johnsen, A.O.. 1982. The history of modern whaling. Berkeley: University of California Press.Google Scholar
United Nations. 1984. Question of Antarctica: study requested under General Assembly Resolution 38/77. Report by the Secretary-General part two: views of states. UN Document A/39/583.Google Scholar
Watts, A. 1992. International law and the Antarctic Treaty System. Cambridge: Grotius.Google Scholar