Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun on August 24, 2018 reported that an agreement on a Japan-China hotline aimed at averting military clashes between the Self-Defense Forces and the Chinese military in the East China Sea and other areas includes a provision that allows for a moratorium of up to 48 hours from the breakout of a volatile situation to the start of communications. It said this provision was requested by the Chinese government, raising questions over the effectiveness of the hotline for avoiding clashes. It quoted a senior SDF official as expressing concern, saying, “If we wait 48 hours, the situation in the field could develop significantly.” The paper added that some people familiar with the Chinese military say that the 48 hours are intended to secure sufficient time to determine responses as the military is a more bureaucratic organization than the SDF. A source close to the Japanese government said, “That makes us wonder whether China has the intention of seriously trying to avoid clashes.”

(Comment: The mechanism was launched on June 8 with the start of direct communications and other functions. However, the launch of the hotline has been delayed due to China taking its time coordinating the place to install the hotline. The Japanese side plans to set up the hotline at the Joint Staff, which is in charge of managing relevant units.)