South Korea protests Japan’s ‘Takeshima Day’ event over disputed islands

South Korea on Sunday criticised Japan for commemorating a cluster of disputed islands, calling the move an unjust assertion of sovereignty over its territory.

Objection to ‘Takeshima Day’

In a statement, Seoul’s foreign ministry said it strongly objected to the “Takeshima Day” event organised by Shimane prefecture and to the attendance of a senior Japanese government official, urging Tokyo to abolish the ceremony immediately.

Longstanding territorial dispute

The small islets — known as Takeshima in Japan and Dokdo in South Korea — have remained a source of tension since Japan’s colonial rule of the Korean peninsula from 1910 to 1945. The territory comprises two main islands and around 30 smaller rocks, with a South Korean coastguard detachment stationed there since 1954.

Seoul rejects sovereignty claims

Shimane prefecture established “Takeshima Day” in 2005, a move that has repeatedly triggered protests from Seoul. The foreign ministry said Dokdo is South Korea’s sovereign territory historically, geographically and under international law, and called on Japan to drop what it described as groundless claims.

Diplomatic protest lodged

Seoul summoned a senior Japanese diplomat to lodge a formal protest and has repeatedly objected to Tokyo’s territorial claims, including recent remarks by Japan’s foreign minister asserting sovereignty over the islets during a parliamentary address.

Strategic and economic significance

Seoul says the territory lies in fertile fishing grounds and may sit above substantial deposits of natural gas hydrate that could be worth billions of dollars.