The U.S.’ commitment to back Japan in a conflict should not be extended to Japan’s vague claim of the Senkaku Islands. The territorial dispute between Japan and China is far too precarious, and one in which the U.S. should avoid in order to prevent further conflict with Beijing.

China is rapidly emerging as a major exporter of UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) technology and is developing command, control, communications, and intelligence networks in order to employ these systems in a broader offensive capacity. The future weaponization of these systems and their subsequent employment in disputed areas such as the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands carries significant implications.