Daniel Sherwood’s Weblog

Last Monday, Japan renewed claims over a row of islands that has been in a territorial dispute with South Korea. Japan proposed a bilateral foreign ministers’ meeting over the territorial dispute, however South Korea has rejected this proposal and remains angry over Japan’s claim on the islands. At the beginning of the week, South Korea directed formal complaints toward Japan’s actions. In response to this event, a protest involving former South Korean soldiers who had been training in infiltrating North Korea, killed pheasants similar to the Japanese national bird over Japan’s flag and pictures of their prime minister. The demonstration took place in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul. This group of former soldiers has been known to hold protests directed towards Japan. There were no arrests reported during the event.

President Lee of South Korea also claimed the start of a ‘diplomatic war’ and expressed the growing rage among the South Korean people due to these claims by Japan. The row of islands, known to South Korea as Dokdo and Japan as Takeshima, now have South Korean police stationed there and South Korea’s President Lee Myung-bak, who had pledged better ties with major trading partner Japan after his predecessor waged a “diplomatic war” said on Wednesday South Koreans were “understandably enraged” and prescribed a tough response. The islands fall about the same distance from both Japan and South Korea. The area around the islands has a vast marine life presence and there may be deposits of natural gas hydrate making the area economically valuable.  This is the first report I have come across like this. I was aware that the Asian countries have disputed over underground islands but this is the first I have heard of Japan actually claiming an island that has already been claimed. It will be very interesting to see if America takes a side on this one. Right now I have a felling that the US is staying a million miles away from that debatae. Just as a side note, I don’t see why innocent birds had to die for the protest.

Article from Reuyers, “S.Korea to spurn Japan minister over island row”

http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKT22947320080717?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0