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Beijing is furious—and Japan is now at the center of the backlash.China summoned a senior Japanese diplomat in Beijing after Japan joined the Philippines, the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and nine other countries in reaffirming the 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling. The 14 governments said China’s sweeping maritime claims, including those based on supposed historic rights, have no legal basis under international law.The statement was released on the ruling’s 10th anniversary. The tribunal, formed under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, ruled in a case brought by the Philippines that Beijing could not claim historic rights to resources across most of the South China Sea through its controversial “nine-dash line.” The European Union separately described the decision as an important example of resolving disputes peacefully through international law.China rejected the renewed support and accused Japan of interfering in regional affairs. Beijing described the ruling as illegal and nonbinding, while also claiming that Tokyo was using its position as a South China Sea stakeholder to revive a more aggressive regional role.Japan, however, said China’s refusal to recognize the decision undermines both the peaceful settlement of disputes and the international rule of law.The South China Sea is one of the world’s most important shipping routes, and China’s claims overlap with those of the Philippines and several other Asian governments. Ten years after the ruling, the legal decision remains unchanged—but the growing diplomatic confrontation shows that enforcing international law can be far more difficult than winning a case.China should face reality, respect international law, and comply with the 2016 Arbitral Award affirming the Philippines’ maritime rights in the West Philippine Sea. Respect for the rule of law is the foundation of peace and stability in the region.