Takeshima Day Again

February 22^nd is quote Takeshima Day unquote. In 2005, the Assembly of Shimane Prefecture passed an ordinance to name the day, celebrating the centennial of the announcement for Takeshima’s incorporation by the governor in 1905. This year, Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, sent a relatively low-level official to the memorial ceremony held by the prefectural government on Saturday. Although South Korea protested the day, there was no major trouble there. Abe’s intimidation to neighbor countries still seems to be built-in destabilizer in Northeast Asia.

The Parliamentary Vice-minister of Cabinet Office, Toshitami Kameoka, dispatched by Abe, emphasized the need for solution of Takeshima dispute. “We are doing our best to calmly and peacefully solve Takeshima issue according to laws,” told Kameoka in the memorial ceremony. Although the prefectural government invited Abe and other ministers, the administration decided to send a lower-level official as it did last year.

Outside the building for the ceremony, right-wing agitators, well-known as noisy appeals from campaign cars, faced Korean activists, having police corps between them. Police deterred some activists who tried to open a banner of Korean flag and let them escape from the site.

While the Government of Japan has not changed its recognition that Takeshima is illegally-occupied Japan’s inherent territory, South Korea keeps its administration on the island and even enhancing it. The Congress of South Korea passed the budget for 2014, which included the plan to build “Entrance Supporting Center” for Korean tourists to Takeshima. Japan has not taken an effective counteraction against it.

It could be a sign from Abe of not escalating current quarrels on interpretation of history between two nations. However, the sign works only when it is received as it is. There is no such environment as the Koreans can realize Abe’s soft attitude on history, as long as he reiterates his frustration against Japan’s reflective standpoint on aggression to the continent or comfort women. For the Koreans, sending governmental official is already too excessive.

Irritation continues. Abe administration announced that it would review the testimony of former comfort women, which caused Kono Statement that apologized to the Koreans, to search for possibility of repealing the statement. Some officials of Japanese government is looking for an opportunity to have a leaders talk between Abe and Park Geun-hye at the Nuclear Summit held in Netherland in March. But, it is not clear that the domestic situations of both would allow it.