Japan Sends Vice Minister-Level Official to 'Takeshima Day' Event

Japanese Media Report Cabinet Office Political Secretary's Attendance Policy
Event Held Since 2006

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The Japanese government has decided to send high-ranking government officials for the 11th consecutive year to the 'Takeshima Day' events held by local governments, asserting that Dokdo is Japanese territory. Takeshima is the name Japan uses to refer to Korea's Dokdo.

According to local media reports on the 16th, the Japanese government has decided to send Hideyuki Nakano, a political secretary of the Cabinet Office from the Liberal Democratic Party, to the Takeshima Day event held by Shimane Prefecture on the 22nd in Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture.

On March 30, 2021, a high school social studies textbook approved by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology labeled Dokdo as "Takeshima" (竹島, the name claimed by Japan for Dokdo, marked with a red circle). [Image source=Yonhap News]

The political secretary corresponds to a vice-ministerial level in Korea. The Takeshima Day event has been held since 2006. According to the reports, the Japanese government has been sending vice-ministerial level officials to the Takeshima Day event for 11 consecutive years from 2013, right after the inauguration of the second Abe Shinzo Cabinet, up to this year.