Japan's Deputy Foreign Minister Takeo Mori refused to attend a pre-scheduled news conference in Washington with his South Korean and American counterparts over an island dispute. US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman had to answer questions in the absence of South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun and Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister Takeo Mori. Wendy said that there are some bilateral differences between Japan and South Korea that are being resolved.
There is a difference of opinion about which island?
There is an island which Japan calls Takeshima and South Korea calls Dokdo. At present, the island is controlled by South Korea. This island is also known as Liancourt Rocks. Reports suggest that there has been a dispute between Korea and Japan over this island for more than 300 years.
South Korea maintains that after a dispute between Japanese and Korean fishermen in 1696, Japan recognized Dokodo Island as Korean territory but was occupied by Japan in 1905, which lasted until 1945. Korea says that after the Second World War it again came back under the control of Korea. However, Japan denies these things and says that Takeshima Island has always been part of Japan.
What do the two countries have to say?
Regarding the matter, Japanese Embassy spokesman Masashi Mizobuchi in the US has said that Tokyo had lodged a strong protest over the visit of South Korea's police chief to the disputed Takeshima Island. In such circumstances, we have decided that it is not right to hold a joint press conference. A spokesman for the South Korean Foreign Ministry said regarding the matter that South Korea's position as before is that Dokdo is historically, geographically and part of South Korea under international law.
