Shimane touts 'Takeshima Day'

MATSUE, Shimane Pref. (Kyodo) The Shimane Prefectural Assembly on Wednesday designated Feb. 22 as "Takeshima Day" in a bid to exert Japan's sovereignty over the South Korea-controlled group of islets.

Spectators shout "banzai" Wednesday in the gallery of the Shimane Prefectural Assembly after an ordinance designating Feb. 22 as "Takeshima Day" was passed.

The move has cast a pall on warming bilateral relations as the two countries mark the 40th anniversary of the restoration of diplomatic ties.

Sponsors of the "Takeshima Day" bill said the ordinance is aimed at raising public awareness that the uninhabited islets between Shimane and South Korea belong to Japan.

The move has prompted strong protests and a public outcry in South Korea, which calls the islets Tok-do.

Shimane Gov. Nobuyoshi Sumita said in a statement, "I would like the central government to use this opportunity to actively work to establish (Japan's) territorial rights over Takeshima."

The two small islets have a total area of 0.23 sq. km.

South Korea has had a coast guard garrison on the larger islet since 1954, according to the Foreign Ministry. Tokyo claims Takeshima is historically Japanese territory.

The Shimane ordinance states that South Korea has "illegally occupied Takeshima for half a century and has pushed forward with moves to strengthen its effective control over them."

In Seoul, the South Korean government condemned Shimane's move, saying it will "take every measure possible" unless the ordinance is scrapped.

The Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry said in a statement that Japan "would be held fully responsible for any incident that may occur."

Ministry spokesman Lee Kyu Hyung said the ordinance has an "impure intention to impair our sovereignty over Tok-do, which is part of our territory historically, geographically and according to international law."

South Korea also said it lifted travel restrictions on its nationals to the islets effective the same day in what was seen as a retaliatory measure. North Kyungsang Province said it would sever sister-city relations with Shimane Prefecture.

The bill was submitted by 35 of the assembly's 38 members. Of the 37, excluding the chairman, who voted Wednesday, 33 supported the bill and two opposed. One Japanese Communist Party member abstained and another member was absent due to illness.

When those in favor stood to show their support for the bill, people in the gallery, believed to be members of nationalist groups, applauded and shouted, "banzai!"

Before the vote, a Seoul assemblyman visiting the Shimane assembly hall was seized by police. Choi Jae Ik, who leads a South Korean group asserting South Korea's territorial rights over the islets, was seen holding a box cutter and a sheet of white paper just before 9 a.m. near the entrance of the assembly hall.

He later told police he had been planning to cut his finger and write a statement in blood.

The assembly decided to deny entry to the assembly building by Choi and another member of his group following the incident.

Choi was holding a banner that read in Korean, "Tok-do is our territory." He said he requested a meeting with Hajime Miyazumi, chairman of the prefectural assembly, but was denied.

Choi said, "An act of aggression is being decided in a closed chamber."

South Korea has protested the move by canceling a visit to Japan by foreign minister Ban, and South Koreans have protested outside the Japanese Embassy in Seoul for days.

While the government claims that it is concerned by the diplomatic row with South Korea, it says it has no power to intervene in the Shimane assembly because the vote falls under the jurisdiction of a local government.

The "Takeshima Day" ordinance calls for promoting public activities to raise the nation's awareness of the islets. It calls for the "early establishment" of Japan's territorial rights over the South Korea-controlled islets.

The prefectural government says that Feb. 22 this year marked the 100th anniversary of the issuance of a prefectural notice that declared the islets part of Shimane in line with a Cabinet decision. Also in 1905, the signing of the Korean-Japanese Convention gave Japan full administrative control over Korea's foreign affairs.

Kajitani heads the secretariat of a group calling for the "protection" of Takeshima.

Yoji Nozu, 64, questioned the move. "What's the point in designating such a day in this unilateral fashion?" he asked. "We should also listen to South Korea's opinions."