hankyoreh

On Feb. 22, the Japanese government dispatched a high-ranking official to the "Takeshima Day" event hosted by Shimane Prefecture. (Takeshima is the Japanese name for Dokdo.) This is the first time this has occurred since the prefecture passed an ordinance establishing the commemorative day in 2005.

In attendance at the event were 21 members of the Japanese Diet, including Shinjiro Koizumi, youth director for the Japanese Liberal Democratic Party and son of former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. Since the move effectively upgraded a local government event to an event recognized by the central government, it must be viewed as a major provocation.

It was entirely appropriate for the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to summon the political affairs minister from the Japanese embassy in Seoul and urge the country to immediately repeal the Takeshima Day ordinance and to end at once its unjust territorial claims to Dokdo. This was an overly timid response to Japan's provocative action, which is more offensive than in the past. A much stronger response is needed.

The Japanese government is acting as if by sending Aiko Shimajiri, a parliamentary secretary with the Cabinet Office whose position is equivalent to a vice minister, they were somehow being considerate of South Korea. At a press conference, after declaring that “Takeshima is entirely Japanese territory,” Ichita Yamamoto, Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs, said that Japan's decision to send a parliamentary secretary instead of a cabinet member to the event reflected full consideration both of the importance of the relationship between South Korea and Japan and the fact that South Korea is an important strategic partner for Japan. Can it get any more hypocritical than that? This is a ludicrous statement in complete disregard of the historical facts, namely that Japan seized Dokdo for strategic reasons before the Russo-Japanese War in 1905.

After South Korean president Lee Myung-bak visited Dokdo on Aug. 10, 2012, the Japanese government threatened to bring the case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). During the general election at the end of 2012, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe promised to upgrade Takeshima Day into a central government-sanctioned event. After the election, Japan backpedaled, saying that it would base its decision about filing the suit to the ICJ on South Korea's actions, and Abe also put plans to upgrade the event on hold. Japan has spun these actions as if it was doing a kind deed for South Korea. Japan is just like a child throwing a tantrum, whining about how it is the rightful owner of something that really belongs to someone else, and then insisting that it is being thoughtful and generous when it budges on the claim.

It is true that Lee's visit to Dokdo was partially responsible for fanning the flames of the Dokdo issue, which had been kept fairly quiet until then. However, the question over whether Lee’s action was appropriate or not is a domestic issue for South Koreans to decide. That action has no bearing whatsoever on the fact that Dokdo belongs to South Korea, whether viewed in legal, historical, or geographical terms.

Japan must be made aware that this provocative behavior will only serve to further complicate cooperation between the two countries. Furthermore, they must learn that backstabbing a country just before a new administration comes into power and expecting to be thanked for it is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]