Japan Defense White Paper 'Dokdo is Japanese Territory'... Ministry of Foreign Affairs Demands "Retract" Following Japan's Summons and Protest

Strong Protest Against Defense White Paper Claiming 'Dokdo = Japanese Territory'

The government protested and demanded the withdrawal of Japan's repeated claims of sovereignty over Dokdo in this year's Defense White Paper announced by Japan.

On the 28th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through a spokesperson's statement, said, "We strongly protest Japan's repeated unjust claims of sovereignty over Dokdo, which is historically, geographically, and under international law clearly our inherent territory, in the Defense White Paper announced today," and demanded, "Withdraw immediately."

It continued, "The Japanese government must clearly realize that repeating unjust claims over Dokdo does not help in building a future-oriented Korea-Japan relationship in any way," emphasizing this point.

Furthermore, it stated, "The government reiterates that Japan's unjust claims have no effect on our sovereignty over Dokdo, which is the inherent territory of the Republic of Korea," and added, "We will firmly respond to any provocations by Japan regarding Dokdo."

On the same day, Seo Min-jung, Director of the Asia-Pacific Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, summoned Yamamoto Mondo, Charg? d'Affaires ad interim (Political Minister) of the Embassy of Japan in Korea, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to protest. It was reported that since the Charg? d'Affaires of the Embassy of Japan in Korea is currently absent from Korea, the Political Minister was summoned in the capacity of Charg? d'Affaires ad interim. The summons lasted about 20 minutes.

Earlier that day, the Japanese government adopted the 2023 Defense White Paper at a Cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Kishida Fumio. In this year's White Paper, Japan again mentioned that "the Northern Territories (the Japanese term for the four Kuril Islands) and Takeshima (the name Japan claims for Dokdo) territorial issues, which are Japan's inherent territories, still remain unresolved."