From the New York Times:
Japan and China, the second and third largest oil consumers in the world, are scrambling to explore and extract oil and natural gas in disputed area between Okinawa and China in the East China Sea. With recent increases in energy prices, China has begun implementing energy “realpolitik,” investing in resource extraction in its coastal waterts, and striking oil deals with Canada and Latin American countries. Japan has also responded to the need for energy by reviving old border disputes with China, Russia, and South Korea and exploring seas nearby.