NEW DELHI: Tensions between South Korea and Japan have flared again as Seoul officially protested Tokyo’s renewed territorial claim over the Dokdo Islands (known as Takeshima in Japan), following the release of Japan’s latest Defense White Paper.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry summoned a senior Japanese diplomat to lodge a formal complaint, condemning Japan’s repeated assertion of sovereignty over the islets. The Ministry stated that Dokdo is “clearly an integral part of Korean territory historically, geographically, and under international law.”
The disputed islets, located in the Sea of Japan (East Sea), have long been a flashpoint between the two countries, despite being under South Korea’s administrative control with a small police detachment stationed there. “We strongly protest Japan’s unjust and baseless claims and demand an immediate retraction,” said a South Korean government spokesperson.
This development comes amid broader regional efforts for trilateral cooperation among South Korea, Japan, and the United States to counter North Korea’s threats and China’s growing assertiveness.
Japan has included claims to Takeshima in its annual defense white papers for years, but Seoul’s response has grown sharper as both nations continue to navigate historical grievances and security concerns in East Asia.
