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TOKYO -- A vote by Shimane Prefecture assembly Wednesday to designate Feb. 22 ¡°Takeshima Day¡±, after the Japanese name for the Dokdo Islets, is making waves even in the prefecture. Critics say the bill, which started from disagreements over fishing rights, has escalated into a diplomatic spat between Korea and Japan. Others say Japan¡¯s sovereignty claim over the island in itself is mistaken.
Naito Seitsu, 75, is an honorary professor at Shimane University who wrote a column in a local prefectural newspaper on March 11 saying there was substance to Korea¡¯s claim over the islets. In a telephone interview, he told the Chosun Ilbo why.
Korea is up in arms over Shimane Prefecture¡¯s designation of Feb. 22 as ¡°Takeshima Day.¡±
From Korea¡¯s position, such objections are natural, I think. I think it¡¯s natural that there would be objections when Shimane Prefecture suddenly says it will enact the ordinance without first trying to discuss the issue in depth with Korea.¡±
You¡¯ve said Korea¡¯s claims to the islets have some basis...
Even within Japan, there are many materials in books printed prior to World War II supporting the claim that the Dokdo islets are Korean territory. The Japanese Foreign Ministry just doesn¡¯t put such materials on its homepage.¡±
What are the exact reasons for your view that the islets are Korean?
Toward the end of the 1600s, Japan and Chosun (Korea) conducted discussions in Busan about sovereignty over the Dokdo and Ulleung islands. At the end of the discussions, Japan recognized that Ulleung and Dokdo were Korean territory, and in 1696 banned travel to Ulleung Island. Currently, the Japanese government is claiming that it banned travel to Ulleung Island but not to the Dokdo Islets. In fact, Japanese fishermen couldn¡¯t go to either Ulleung or Dokdo. There were fishermen who went there clandestinely, but among fisherman it was understood that the Dokdo islets were Korean territory.
What¡¯s the solution to the Dokdo issue?
If dialogue between the two governments gets caught up in justifications, I don¡¯t see a resolution. In fact, I have been getting the feeling it was hard to make evaluations with Korea and Japan using only their own materials to base their claims on, but recently Korean literature has been introducing and criticizing Japan¡¯s claims. There first needs to be serious discussion from this scholarly perspective.
As a Japanese, you¡¯ve made a claim that is disadvantageous to your own nation. Have you experienced any pressure within Japan?
Of course, there has been some. But it's not like in the past when rightwing groups would denounce you. Now claims like mine can be made openly. I want Koreans to know of this atmosphere within Japan.¡±
(Choi Heup, pot@chosun.com )
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