Japanese media reported that during a cabinet meeting on Friday, Aso Taro, the Japanese Minister for Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications, said that he wanted to know what other ministers would think if Japan printed its own Dokdo Island stamps in response to Korea’s printing of stamps with the island’s picture. Aso caused controversy not long ago when he said that the forced adoption of Japanese names during the colonial period was the Koreans’ choice. Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuda Yasuo said that he would discuss this issue with Foreign Minister Kawaguchi Yoriko as soon as she returns from abroad.

Japanese media reported that during the cabinet meeting, other ministers said that this is not simply a matter of stamps, and that additional measures are required.

Dokdo from above.

In a press conference with reporters following the cabinet meeting, Aso said that by publishing its Dokdo stamps, it was impossible to say that Korea was conforming to the spirit of promoting international amity called for in the Universal Postal Union charter. When asked if Japan could reject mail to which the Dokdo stamp had been affixed, he answered that as a practical issue, one needs great skill in handling it.

Meanwhile, Korea Post has responded carefully so far to Aso’s “Takeshima Island” stamp proposal. Korean Postmaster General Kim Yun-gi said that his office will send a response letter to Japan according to schedule on Jan. 13 saying that Korea would not stop printing its Dokdo stamps. One Korea Post official said that while it was the sovereign right of all countries to print stamps, it was unreasonable for one country to take the land of another country and put it on its own stamps. He also expressed concern that bilateral ties might worsen as a result of this issue. (Choi Heup, pot@chosun.com )