[Quote]:

The news also threw officials at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government into a state of confusion, since it was the first body to declare its intentions to purchase the East China Sea islets, which are claimed by both China and Taiwan.

“We are in the middle of discussions with the metropolitan government and the landowner. I have no intention of revealing any details at this stage since the process” has yet to be finalized, Fujimura told reporters.

China called the reported purchase “illegal and invalid.”

Let me summarize it for you: Two privately-owned islands claimed by both China and Taiwan may have just been purchased by the Japanese government.

That should fix everything.