Landowner's Relatives Hold Press Conference Senkaku Islands nationalization issue

July 20, 2012, Tokyo, Japan - Hiroyuki Kurihara, the spokesperson for the owners of the disputed Senkaku islands, speaks during a news conference at Tokyo 's Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan on Friday, July 20, 2012. The controversial issue of nationalization of the Senkaku islands, located nearly 2,000km southwest of Tokyo and administered by the city of Ishigaki, Okinawa Prefecture, has come to light when the Senkaku islands are disputed. Okinawa Prefecture, has come to light when Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara announced on April 17, regarding the Tokyo metropolitan government Two months after Ishihara's announcement, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda formally announced the national government's plan to purchase three of the five islets. Two months after Ishihara's announcement, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda formally announced the national government's own intention to purchase the Senkaku islands and nationalize them. The situation has further deteriorated when China and Taiwan reacted to the nationalization plan as both have for long claimed sovereignty over them. At present, four of the five islets are owned by one Kunioki Kurihara and his sister, who have made it clear that they have no intention to sell the controversial islands. At present four of the five islets are owned by one Kunioki Kurihara and his sister, who have made it clear that they have no intention to sell the controversial islands to none but the Tokyo metropolitan government.