the Japanese government, local municipalities, and certain conservative media outlets reiterated their contentious claim over Dokdo, an islet Korea asserts sovereignty over, but Japan refers to as “Takeshima.” (Image courtesy of Kobiz Media)
TOKYO, Feb. 23 (Korea Bizwire) – On February 22, a significant controversy resurfaced as the Japanese government, local municipalities, and certain conservative media outlets reiterated their contentious claim over Dokdo, an islet Korea asserts sovereignty over, but Japan refers to as “Takeshima.”
This assertion was made during the observance of what is known as “Takeshima Day,” an event that has historically heightened tensions between the two nations regarding the disputed territory.
According to reports from Kyodo News, Shimane Prefecture, located in the western part of Japan’s main island, Honshu, hosted a ceremony in Matsue, the prefectural capital, staunchly proclaiming Dokdo as an inherent part of Japanese territory.
In an unprecedented move, the Japanese central government also participated in the event, delegating Shojiro Hiranuma, a vice-ministerial official responsible for territorial disputes, to attend.
Hiranuma expressed the government’s non-acceptance of what he termed South Korea’s “illegal occupation,” and reaffirmed the government’s stance to resolve the dispute peacefully through diplomatic negotiations.
This year marks the twelfth consecutive year that the Japanese government has dispatched an official to the Takeshima Day event, a practice that began immediately after the inauguration of the second cabinet led by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2013.
Addressing the media, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi fielded questions regarding the lack of ministerial-level participation in the event.
He reiterated Japan’s claim to Takeshima, asserting, “Takeshima is, from a historical viewpoint and also under international law, Japanese territory.”
He emphasized the government’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding its territory, territorial waters, and airspace.
In a related development, Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa reiterated Japan’s territorial claim to South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul during a bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Rio de Janeiro on February 21.
This reaffirmation, as reported by Kyodo News, further underscores the deep-seated nature of the territorial dispute between Japan and South Korea.
The assertion of Dokdo as Japanese territory was also echoed in the editorials of conservative Japanese newspapers on the same day.
The Yomiuri Shimbun, a leading conservative daily, lamented the lack of progress on the Takeshima dispute despite improvements in Japan-South Korea relations following a summit last March.
The newspaper urged the Japanese government to persistently advocate for a peaceful resolution to the dispute.
Similarly, the Sankei Shimbun, another conservative outlet, posited that Takeshima, alongside the Northern Territories (a reference to the southernmost islands of the Kuril Islands, claimed by Japan but administered by Russia), remains a non-negotiable part of Japanese territory that must be returned.
The editorial criticized the South Korean government’s refusal to accept Japan’s proposals to refer the dispute to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), calling for a resolution grounded in international law under the current Yoon Suk-yeol administration in South Korea.
In response to these developments, Shimane University, a national university in Japan, announced plans to offer a course dedicated to studying territorial issues centered around Dokdo.
The course aims to provide a balanced perspective, encouraging students to explore peaceful resolutions to territorial disputes, including those involving Dokdo, the Northern Territories, and the Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Islands in Chinese).
This educational initiative underscores the complexity of territorial disputes and the need for nuanced understanding and dialogue in seeking resolutions.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
