China/Japan Island Dispute: Stupidity of the First Order

Who is right and who is wrong, I don't know.  But it seems to me that the economic boycott of Japan by Communist (they're still communists and communists will always be communists) China over some islands is hurting the Japanese economy.

Boston.com (Boston Globe) is reporting:

TOKYO (AP) — The craggy island specks in the East China Sea aren’t even an economic backwater. They have no factories, no highways, no shops, no people — only goats. But the high-pitched row between Beijing and Tokyo over their ownership is exacting a growing toll on Japan, threatening to send its recovery from last year’s disasters into reverse. 

Sales of Japanese cars in China are in a free-fall. At the China Open last weekend, a representative of Sony Corp., which is a sponsor of the tennis tournament, was loudly booed at the title presentation for the women’s final. Chinese tourists are cancelling trips to Japan in droves. And some analysts say Japan’s economy will shrink in the last three months of the year. 

The business and economic shockwaves come after Japan last month nationalized the tiny islands, called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, which were already under Tokyo’s control but are also claimed by Beijing. The move set off violent protests in China, and a widespread call to boycott Japanese goods. Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. dealerships were burned down in one city.

The boycott is hurting all the wrong people.  The Japanese tourism industry, auto industry and other industries had absolutely nothing to do with the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands matter.  They are being made to pay for this territorial dispute.  Also, as China and Japan conduct a great deal of business, China is also shooting itself in the foot when the blowback from the boycott hits their own economy.

The violent protests in China had to have been sanctioned by the Chinese government.  Nothing happens in China unless the communist government approves it.  And, why are some in Taiwan getting worked up over this?  Where's their dog in this fight?

This is stupidity of the first order.  Are these tiny specks of land in the East China Sea really that important?

To read the full article, go here.