Which one of the following statements best reflects the issue with Senkaku Islands, sometimes mentioned in the news ?

Describes flow of currents from the Philippines and Taiwan into the East China Sea, identifying the East China Sea as a distinct maritime region near Taiwan and the Philippines.

A student can use a basic map to note that islands near Taiwan (like the Senkaku/Diaoyu group) lie in/near the East China Sea area rather than the South China Sea.

Identifies the Japanese Archipelago as a series of islands stretching south toward subtropical zones, establishing Japan-related island groups in the East/North Pacific region.

A student can place Japan and proximate disputed island groups (e.g., Senkaku/Diaoyu claimed by Japan) on a map to distinguish them from South China Sea islands farther southwest.

Gives a general rule that oceanic island groups are located in specific ocean basins and can be remote from continents, implying the importance of identifying the correct sea/ocean basin for any island group.

A student can apply this principle by checking which ocean basin (East vs South China Sea, or Indian Ocean) contains the islands in question on a map.

Distinguishes major island groups by ocean (Bay of Bengal vs Arabian Sea) showing that textbook geographic sections separate islands by named seas.

By analogy, a student should look for which named sea (East China Sea, South China Sea, etc.) an island group is treated under on maps or regional descriptions to judge the claim.

Mentions the North Equatorial Current being deflected off the coasts of the Philippines and Taiwan into the East China Sea, tying Taiwan and nearby maritime area to the East China Sea.

A student could use a standard map to note that islands lying near Taiwan and east of China would fall within the East China Sea region, and check whether the Senkaku group lies there.

Describes the Japanese Archipelago and its latitudinal extent, giving context that Japan’s islands and nearby island groups span maritime zones in East Asia.

Combine this with a map to see whether an island group claimed by/near Japan lies in the East China Sea rather than another oceanic sector.

Discusses ocean currents and convergence zones off Japanese coasts (Kamchatka, Hokkaido), illustrating how oceanographic descriptions are tied to specific regional seas around Japan.

Use coastal/current references plus a map to narrow which named sea (e.g., East China Sea vs. Sea of Japan) an island group adjacent to Japan would be in.

Gives a general definition of continental islands as those closely associated with a neighbouring mainland and separated by channels, a pattern useful for placing island groups relative to continental coasts.

Apply this rule with a map to see if the Senkaku islands are small islands separated from the Chinese/Taiwan/Japanese coasts by shallow channels typical of continental islands in the East China Sea region.

Notes that after WWII the Allies decided Japan must give up territories it had taken from China (mentions Formosa/Taiwan and Pacific islands), showing island sovereignty was a subject of post‑war settlement.

A student could check post‑WWII treaties/maps to see whether specific small islands (e.g., ones near Okinawa/East China Sea) were listed or contested, suggesting grounds for an island dispute.

Summarises Sino‑Japanese wars and Japan's acquisition of territory (Taiwan, Korea), showing a historical pattern of territorial changes between the two states.

A student could infer that legacy territorial issues between China and Japan sometimes involve islands and then consult maps/treaties for islands in the East China Sea to test if a dispute exists.

Describes Japan as an island state and specifically mentions the Okinawan chain as the southernmost islands, indicating Japan administers multiple island chains.

A student could use a world/regional map to locate Okinawa and nearby uninhabited islets to evaluate whether such islets lie near China and thus could be subject to maritime/territorial claims.

Discusses Japan's imperial expansion and acquisition of territories following conflicts with China, exemplifying how Japan historically gained islands/territories from China.

A student could compare historical treaties (e.g., outcomes of Sino‑Japanese conflicts) and modern claims to see whether small island groups were part of contested transfers.

Notes growing strategic activity by both China and Japan in regional waters and that external regional forces complicate maritime geopolitics.

Using this pattern, a student might look for contemporary maritime flashpoints between China and Japan (islands/sea lanes) on a map to identify likely disputed features.

Lists many examples where the United States has established strategic bases on remote islands and overseas territories.

A student could compare that pattern (US placing bases on remote islands) with the location of the Senkaku Islands on a map to judge whether they fit typical US basing choices and therefore whether a base there would be plausible.

States Japan has a long-standing security alliance with the US (since 1951), implying US forces are stationed in Japan.

A student could note that Senkaku Islands are administered by Japan (use a map) and ask whether existing US forces in Japan include any permanent installations on islands under Japanese administration such as Senkaku.

Gives a pattern that the US negotiates and pays host governments for basing rights in foreign states (post‑9/11 Central Asia example).

One could check whether any agreement or payment to Japan (or local authorities) is recorded specifically for basing on the Senkakus, since the US typically secures formal host-nation consent.

Explains Japan's constitution prohibits Japan from maintaining war potential, a legal/political constraint on Japanese militarization.

A student could consider how Japan's constitutional limits affect basing arrangements with the US (e.g., reliance on US forces rather than Japanese bases) and thus whether the Senkakus would be likely to host a Japanese- or US-run permanent base.

Shows the broader pattern of foreign powers (Russia, China) building naval bases on islands in the region.

Using this pattern and a regional map, a student might assess whether strategic competition in East Asia makes a US base on Senkaku consistent with regional basing trends or whether other locations are more typical.

Gives a legal pattern: a national supreme court said boundary settlement with another country can be done by executive action and does not necessarily require constitutional amendment.

A student could extend this to ask whether states often resolve island sovereignty disputes by bilateral/administrative measures rather than by recourse to the ICJ, and then check if Japan/China/Taiwan pursued such routes for Senkaku.

Describes domestic administration and judicial jurisdiction over islands (examples of Indian islands attached to particular high courts).

Use this pattern to note that states commonly assert domestic jurisdiction over specific islands — so one should check whether Japan had already treated Senkaku as administered territory (which would make an 'ICJ no man's land' finding less likely).

Explains that High Courts' jurisdictions extend to named island groups and that existing jurisdictions are maintained, showing a general practice of domestic legal control over islands.

A student could compare this general practice to the Senkaku case: if a state has long-standing domestic jurisdictional practices, ICJ declarations of 'no man's land' are less probable — so check Japan's administrative acts over the islands.

Lists specific examples of union territories being placed under certain high courts, reinforcing that islands are commonly integrated into domestic court jurisdictions.

Apply this idea to investigate whether any claimant state left Senkaku entirely unadministered (supporting a 'no man's land' claim) or instead incorporated it into domestic administrative structures.

States Japan's constitutional renunciation of war and use of force, implying Japan may prefer legal or administrative dispute-resolution methods over military means.

A student might infer that Japan could have sought non-military means (diplomatic or judicial) regarding Senkaku — so one should check if Japan or others submitted the dispute to the ICJ and whether ICJ made such a finding.

Defines and points readers to a political map to identify which countries comprise Southeast Asia.

A student could use a world map to locate those Southeast Asian states relative to the Senkaku Islands to judge plausibility of their claiming those islands.

Lists the ten Southeast Asian countries symbolically (ASEAN membership), helping assemble the set of states considered 'Southeast Asian.'

Combine this list with a geographic map to see whether any ASEAN members are geographically proximate to the Senkaku Islands and thus likely claimants.

Mentions East Asian partners (China, Japan, Korea) distinct from ASEAN, implying a regionally separate grouping that includes known Senkaku claimants.

A student could note that China and Japan (named here as East Asian partners) are in the same broader maritime area as the Senkaku Islands and check whether ASEAN states are similarly positioned.

Describes Chinese strategic activity and bases in the wider region, indicating China's regional maritime interests and presence.

Use this as a clue that China is an active regional actor with interests in nearby islands; a student could compare this with the geographic locations of Southeast Asian states to assess which states might plausibly claim the Senkakus.