Gono, Japan's Defense Minister, Exposed 'Korean Peninsula Map' Hanging in Office...Intentionality Controversy

Diplomatic Inappropriateness Pointed Out

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] A photo posted on Twitter by Defense Minister Kono Taro titled "Phone Conference between Japanese and Indonesian Defense Ministers" has sparked controversy. The photo shows Defense Minister Kono making a phone call in his office, with a map of the Korean Peninsula hanging on the wall.

The photo was posted on Twitter on the 19th under the title "Phone Conference between Japanese and Indonesian Defense Ministers." In the photo, behind Defense Minister Kono, who is wearing a mask and on the phone, a map of the Korean Peninsula is displayed on the wall instead of a map of Japan.

Although the details of the map have not been precisely confirmed, the exposure of the Korean Peninsula map in the background of Defense Minister Kono’s photo, which also features the Rising Sun Flag, is interpreted as a move consistent with Japan's blatant territorial claims over Dokdo. There are also criticisms that the Japanese Defense Minister, equivalent to South Korea’s Minister of National Defense, deliberately displayed the Korean Peninsula map on the wall, which poses diplomatic issues.

On the 19th, the Japanese government’s 2020 Diplomatic Bluebook referred to Dokdo as Takeshima and claimed that South Korea is illegally occupying Dokdo. It also described issues such as GSOMIA (General Security of Military Information Agreement between South Korea and Japan), the Japanese military comfort women issue, visits to Dokdo by South Korean lawmakers, and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant treated water as unconstructive provocations by South Korea, stating that it will continuously demand correction of violations of international law.

In response, Kim Jeong-han, Director of the Asia-Pacific Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, summoned Hirohisa Soma, Minister-Counselor of the Embassy of Japan in Korea, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building to protest on the morning of the same day. Subsequently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson also issued a statement urging the immediate withdrawal of Japan’s unjust territorial claims over Dokdo. Spokesperson Kim In-cheol said, "We strongly protest and demand the immediate withdrawal of the Japanese government’s repeated unjust territorial claims over Dokdo, which is clearly our inherent territory historically, geographically, and under international law, as stated in the Diplomatic Bluebook."

He added, "The government once again makes it clear that Japan’s unjust claims have no effect on our sovereignty over Dokdo, which is the inherent territory of the Republic of Korea, and we will firmly respond to any provocations regarding Dokdo."