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Japan's Shimane Prefecture's Assembly has convened a plenary session and passed the bill for the controversial Day of Takeshima, the Japanese name for the Dokdo islets. In a vote a majority of the assembly members stood up in support of the bill when asked by the speaker to express their approval. The passage of the bill comes despite strong protests by the Korean government, lawmakers and civic groups.
The bill's passage implies that Dokdo is Japanese territory, a claim that has infuriated Koreans who argue that historical records both Korean and Japanese prove that the sovereignty of the easternmost islets belong to Korea. Observers predict the official designation of Dokdo Day will further strain relations between the two countries and spur anti-Japanese sentiment.
In the meantime, Korea's Foreign Ministry issued a swift response to Japan's passage of Takeshima Day, saying the move has no impact on Korea's sovereignty over the Dokdo islets. During a press briefing on Wednesday, Korea's Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon said Dokdo is part of Korea's sovereign territory and the passage of the bill by a Japanese prefectural government to observe Takeshima Day was deplorable.
Arirang TV
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