It is sensitive whether there will be another setback in the diplomacy of the Korea-Japan reconciliation mood. Kyodo News reported that Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa held a bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol in Rio de Janeiro on the 21st (local time) on the occasion of the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting and “re-communicated his position that Takeshima is Japan’s own territory.” Regarding Dokdo, Foreign Minister Kamikawa also said in a diplomatic speech at the regular National Assembly on the 30th of last month, “In light of historical facts, it is Japan’s own territory under international law,” adding, “We will respond resolutely based on this basic position.” The Yomiuri Shimbun, the largest conservative daily, said in an editorial titled “Korea-Japan relations are improving following the summit in March last year, but Takeshima, which is illegally occupied by South Korea, is not making progress,” adding, “The Japanese government should persistently urge South Korea to resolve the Takeshima issue peacefully.” Yomiuri added, “The Japanese government has proposed several times to South Korea to refer the issue of Takeshima to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), but South Korea is refusing,” adding, “We want to demand a solution based on international law to South Korea’s Yoon Suk Yeol regime.”Yomiuri also said that it is contrary to the Korea-Japan Claims Agreement on the fact that Hitachi Shipbuilding (Hitachi-Josen) deposited a deposit to the Korean court in a lawsuit related to the forced mobilization of Japanese colonial era. “If the situation is left unchecked, the relationship between Korea and Japan will deteriorate again, so the Japanese government should demand a thorough solution from the Yoon administration along with resolving the disadvantages of Japanese companies.”
Another conservative media outlet, Sankei Shimbun, said in an editorial that “Takeshima should be the subject of diplomacy toward Korea,” adding, “Takeshima is Japan’s own territory that must be returned side by side with the northern territories (Japanese expression of the four islands in the southern end of Russia’s Kuril Islands),” adding, “Korea should apologize to Japan and return it.” Sankei said, “Northern Territories Day (Feb. 7) was established by the Japanese government and the prime minister and related ministers attend the return request convention held in Tokyo, but Takeshima Day was established by Shimane Prefecture as an ordinance, and the government’s Cabinet Office official only appears at the annual event held in Matsue City.” “The government’s attitude toward the return campaign is too weak.” “The Japanese government should make efforts to regain Takeshima without ignoring the continued violation of sovereignty,” he added.Shimane Prefecture will hold a Takeshima Day event in Matsue City in the afternoon. The Japanese government will have Shojiro Hiranuma, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party, attend the meeting. A political official is equivalent to Korea’s vice minister level. The Japanese government will send political officials to Takeshima Day events for 12 consecutive years from 2013 right after the inauguration of the second Shinzo Abe administration. Earlier, Shimane Prefecture Governor made a public announcement on Feb. 22, 1905, that Dokdo would be unilaterally incorporated into the administrative district. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the announcement, the Shimane Prefectural Council enacted an ordinance to designate Feb. 22, 2005, as Takeshima Day. The event has been held since 2006.
JENNIFER KIM
US ASIA JOURNAL
