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Museum opens in Tokyo, displaying documents to defend claims to disputed isles

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improve how information about disputed islands "is transmitted both internally and externally, so as to ensure as widely as possible that our claims are understood correctly.

The only thing left is for the Japanese government to create some cute yuru-kyara to represent each island and get AKB48 to serve as "ambassadors". Issue solved in a jiffy.

13 ( +18 / -5 )

Can't they just decide it by rock-paper-scissors and save everyone some time ?

5 ( +10 / -5 )

Tetsuma Esaki, said it was important for Japan to improve how information about disputed islands "is transmitted both internally and externally, so as to ensure as widely as possible that our claims are understood correctly.

And clearly the most efficient way of transmitting that information in this digital age is opening what looks like the most boring museum the world has ever known.

"Look! We have a map of Japan on the wall! And....well, that's about it. But we paid quite a bit to have it mounted like that so please enjoy it."

11 ( +17 / -6 )

How about Japan & South Korea agree to build a bridge between those two rocks and charge the brave and crazy to walk across it. Could be a nice tourism earner ;) I really see no reason to cause too much fuss over what are serious quite useless rocks. Fishing and mineral rights?

The Senkaku are a different story. They are somewhat usable and unlike South Korea, you can bet that one day if China gets control, they'll slap a bunch of missile turrets on it targeting Okinawa and Japan in general. Probably bring in their magic island makers to build a runway etc.

Oh of course they will say "we are not militarizing the islands"

We are putting "safety equipment to help any fisherman that get in trouble"

And then proceed to do exactly what they had planned all along.

11 ( +15 / -4 )

So SK can have a Museum but Japan can't.

16 ( +21 / -5 )

"The Japanese government should immediately stop making pointless claims over Dokdo, which by history, geography and international law is clearly part of our territory," Foreign Ministry spokesman Noh Kyu-duk said in a prepared statement.

South Korea opened a museum in central Seoul in 2012 to back its claim to Dokdo.

LOL

13 ( +14 / -1 )

thats funny

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Well considering that K pop idol are well on par or even better than the J pop counterparts it could be fun to watch .... maybe make some UFC style event ...

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Where is the museum? How about this?Would this work?

Russia, keep the northern islands. They were ours but go ahead. douzo.

China and Taiwan, you guys decide on Senkaku. Change the name. Do whatever you want. We’re out.

Korea, take Takeshima. Tired of fighting with you. I know this doesn’t solve the other problems but we’re working on it.

US of A, thanks for all you’ve done but we’ll take it from here. We got it. You are great!

Japan then just chills out soaking in its hot springs and focusing on taking care of its citizens.

Under this scenario, would anyone attack Japan? Can Japan live peacefully in its own?

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

Interesting that that map on display shows Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone - EEZ - surrounding the "rock" that is Okinotorishima.

Unable to sustain life and human activity (which is a precondition to claiming an economic zone as stipulated by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea which Japan is a signatory to) they have been concreting and expanding it for years, not unlike the Chinese in S. China sea.

Perhaps they don't see the irony in that, when claiming other disputed isles such as Takeshima and Senkaku.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Some of these islands would be great for America.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

I never thought opening museums can further your political agenda. Japanese seem to be able to exploit every little opportunity, such a diligent and creative nation.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

Agree that these islands need a mascot each and also an AKB song or even their own idol groups who can have members named after features on these barren rocks.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Sounds fun! I'm gonna bring my kids for indoctrin- er, education.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

A foolish political own goal, why for heaven's sake open a museum mentioning  islands  and documents, when the global and Olympic community is weeks away from sinking into North Korean a sporting political cesspit of into own making?

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Sorry 'finger isssues' should read, when the global and Olympic community is weeks away from sinking into a North Korean sporting political cesspit of its own making?...... sigh

0 ( +1 / -1 )

NEWS FLASH! SK and China have opened up a small museum in there cities. The Museum's contains documented evidence, and a big glossy map, comprising of a a big circle around the islands, saying "its ours", back to square one again.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Wow! A museum!!! Well.... that will make China and South Korea change their behavior!!

Seriously, while I understand that in the diplomatic world, you have to make efforts to ensure your claims are clear, in the real world, it really doesn't matter much.

In the real world, possession is 9/10 of the battle. Japan holds the Senkaku Islands and Okinotorishima , Korea holds Takeshima, Russia holds the Northern Islands and China holds the various "islands" in the South Pacific.

Which is the only country that is still behaving like the meek schoolyard boy?? Japan.

Japan, if you believe in your claims to the Senkaku Islands and Okinotorishima, then behave like China, Korea and Russia. Deploy permanent military units to them, dredge and build up huge artificial enlargements to them. Build ports, airstrips and barracks. Own them.

But, that is only if you want to win. Because to win, you have to exert power. Period.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

tax payer yen at work?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

It’s always a good to see photos of “pointy men” in Japan - people pointing to the obvious. They’re everywhere, pointing and pointing. Pointing to the ATM, pointing to the gigantic hole in the road that would swallow a battleship, pointing and pointing.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

The only reason these specs of rock are disputed is for the ‘possible’ oil and/or gas resources in the surrounding sea bed. It’s not a territorial dispute. It’s a greed dispute.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Utterly impenitent and selfishly done! You can’t go ahead an claim back areas that were rightfully lost as a consequence of agressive expansion during WW2.

It was your own imperialistic mindset before WW2 that lead you to the loss of these islands excluding Senkaku. You had the Pacific ocean in your palm, Korea as a puppet-state, colonies in China, Papa New Guinea. It’s weird that you didn’t think this was enough, but rather rushingly declaring war on China, which later involved the U.S and Soviet Union.

It’s your own fault Japan. You should have sticked to the Taisho-prospect of coexisting with the allies instead of foolishly conquering all of Asia. Which later dug your territorial grave, Japan. History is history, you can’t change history with a few pen strokes in a book that only applies for Japan!

-8 ( +3 / -11 )

I hope people see the madness of these actions! I thought people had layed WW2 behind them, beginning a fresh start! But then always being reminded by Japan that the issues surrounding WW2 are not over. And of all countries, Japan. The only country who has suffered from nuclear attacks.

You lost the war, face the consequences, just as Italy and Germany has done. Stop trying to change something that can’t be changed!

-10 ( +2 / -12 )

They really can’t help antagonising each other. It’s tit for tat on a global scale. It would be quite humorous if it wasn’t for the fact that of the massive amount of time and money wasted by these governments on doing it.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Abe can open as many such museums as fast as how South Korea erects 'Comfort Women' statues but it still cannot match the 'living' museum Taiwan have to confirm their claim on TYT isles.

This natural museum is free for everyone to see and consists of the very solid evidence represented by the geographical connection of the insular shelves of Taiwan's Datong mountain range and the Tiauyutai rocks. The flora and fauna as well as the geologic nature are similar.

Moreover, tombs of ancient fishermen from Ilan and Keelung are scattered all over the island groups . Japan destroyed the burial grounds of the Chang and Su families while pretending to build a lighthouse there but there are still too many inside caves and large crevasses that it's impossible for Governor Shintaro Ishihara's posse to destroy all.

Meanwhile it's rumored that most of the men that desecrated the tombs all suffered from incurable diseases including Ishihara now.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Next we'll have a Museum open showing how the Japanese were the Oppressed during WW2 and simply only came to others assistance when they were asked for...

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

"The Japanese government should immediately stop making pointless claims over Dokdo, which by history, geography and international law is clearly part of our territory," Foreign Ministry spokesman Noh Kyu-duk said in a prepared statement.

Japan has asked South Korea THREE times to settle this dispute at the ICJ. All three times South Korea has refused. So just exactly what part of "international law" are they citing that supports their position? The island were arbitrarily taken by South Korea under the Syngman Rhee line, an act which even alarmed the United States leading them to instruct Japan to seek ICJ intervention.

5 ( +10 / -5 )

After humans have permanently lived there for 10 yrs, let them decide which country they want to be part of.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Abe kowtowing to US foreign policy: divide and conquer. The US trying to create more friction between Japan, SK and China. Now the US will sell more arms to Japan to support the US economy.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Does the Japanese Government honestly think that 99.99 % of the worlds population has any interest in this?

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

OssanAmerica: "Japan has asked South Korea THREE times to settle this dispute at the ICJ. All three times South Korea has refused."

They are South Korean islands, and they do not see any claim at all by Japan as valid. Why would you go to court over something that is clearly yours? Japan knows their claim is in doubt, and KNOWS that Korea has the upper hand, lives on, and administers the islands, and has the better claim, hence the need for approval. You hear them going to your beloved ICJ over the Senkakus? EVERY time I point that out to you your silence is absolute proof you know I'm right. You simply cannot dispute it, and you know it.

The islands are Korean, bottom line. Any documents Japan claims to have -- and keep in mind these are revisionists doing the work -- at best they have US military officials redrawing lines and giving Japan lands that do not belong to them so that they can officially extend their presence closer to Communist nations and the threat that Russia had become at the end of and after WWII.

So, enough of the "Why won't they go to the ICJ??" when you don't give one wit about Japan doing the same in other cases, or care about what world bodies say when Japan is on the receiving end of criticism and/or judgements you don't like.

And notice how they're making a big deal about this before the Olympics? Hope SK puts a sex slave statue on the islands once and for all, facing Japan. If Japan wants to be complete idiots about this, let South Korea show them who owns the place. Even the US acknowledges SK administers them -- the same rationale Japan gives for owning the Senkakus.

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

A gesture of greatness would be to transform these disputed islands in multinational territories, lands of friendship and cooperation among nations. A new beginning, instead of sharing selfishness they have opportunity to demonstrate greatness.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Who is in charge of Japan ? I have a problem with Abe. He lost his control. Japan has many territorial problems but the two aren't the big ones at all. Considering what Japan did to neighbors historically, and the Cario Declaration which is the basis for the end of the war, Japan should abandon the claims for the sake of justice and friendship. They are not worthy the disputes. Abe needs spend time on reading historical books to enrich his knowledge of the bright side of history. It is easy to be a longest sitting PM but it is difficult to be a great one.

Given the sensitivity of time, Abe should apologize to neighbors immediately, or at least clarify that this museum has nothing to do with Japan's govt.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

@Akie Today  12:26 am JST

People like you are probably part of the reason this museum was built. it is 20 years too late, but Japan finally realizes that its meek attitude only causes such wonder countries as China and Korea to smell blood.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Kazuaki Shimazaki, the fact is that these problems were not big issues for so many years. Abe responsibly amplified them. As many other issues, Abe single handed provoked neighbors, time and time again.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

Akie.

Simple reason why China wants to extend their Territory, they need resources to keep their economy growing.

Their middle class is growing and demands are outstripping supplies, China has enough man-power but resources are limited, already economy is slowing and the end of the bubble is insight.

All that talk about shared culture, 300yrs, whatever is just so much cod-swallow that don't fly outside China, my Chinese friends(who read here) agree.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

3000yrs - correction

1 ( +1 / -0 )

pacint, if you compare Abe with Deng, you will see big difference. When Deng visited Japan, he was asked about the issue and he answered the question with wisdom and the answer please all Japanese at the time. He said if we don't have the wisdom, then let future generations to resolve it and they will be wiser. Japan and China had 40 years very amicable relationship since then. All of sudden in 2012, Japan nationalized the disputed Islands and made big announcement to the world. Abe wasn't the one to provoke, but he was the one to reject Chinese request to go back to status quo. All China asked Abe to do is to recognize the dispute. That is so simple solution, accepted by both govts for 40 years. Abe should grow up.

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

Akie.

There is still a lot wrong with China and fixing that should be priority NO. 1 not Abe.

Even if they replace Abe tomorrow little will change.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Isn't there handful of South Korean residents living in Takeshima island? Not to mention their navy is guarding the island 24/7.

Not sure how Japan will win the island from Korea.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

pacint, sky will not fall. Don't worry about China. Japan and China can handle any your "wrongs" properly, to your disappointment.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

Japan needs to build casinos on the islands, they will milk all the Chinese and Koreas, Philippinos with visa fees etc, this is the best way.

And, they need to sink a Chinese vessel to teach those Chinese a lesson, plus take back the islands to the North Russian communists stole.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

It will be difficult to obtain Tekeshima for Japan, but it is a political leverage that could be useful. But, i am not sure picking the wrong to gain anything is a long term good in diplomacy and to make peace with your neighbours.

According to me Japan should try to settle his final frontier and work on this. In the future Islands are artificial and moving on oceans.

Nonetheless South Corea have to renonce on any maritime claim around this little piece of rock who mark its final frontier.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

"Japan has asked South Korea THREE times to settle this dispute at the ICJ. All three times South Korea has refused. So just exactly what part of "international law" are they citing that supports their position?"

This might not sound so hypocritical and self-serving if Japan were to volunteer to take the matter of the Senkakus and the Kuriles to the ICJ. But don't hold your breath, www

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

@Strkebreaker555 I agree

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I wish they would just blow up those damn islands along with the senkakus and save EVERYONE a headache

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

slowguy2Today  03:32 am JST

"Japan has asked South Korea THREE times to settle this dispute at the ICJ. All three times South Korea has refused. So just exactly what part of "international law" are they citing that supports their position?"

This might not sound so hypocritical and self-serving if Japan were to volunteer to take the matter of the Senkakus and the Kuriles to the ICJ. But don't hold your breath, www

You've got that backwards. Japan already controls the Senkakus. It's up to China who is raising a claim to bring the issue to the ICJ. However China has refused to do so as putting it under ICJ jurisdiction would open the door to several other nations bringing actions against China regarding other disputes. This was common knowledge even back in 2010. And we know how China fee;ls about any International body deciding on matters of it's alleged "sovereignty". As for the Southern Kuriles, Japan has refrained from any ICJ action, despite considerable support for it's position from the US. UK and EU, as it is aiming to conclude a Peace Treaty with Russia.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Just smoke and screen, so the LDP rightwinger are kept on the line ( see Abe attending the Olympics in Korea )

Next, make a museum how Okinawa is ignored and abused since 1972 and before, its belongs also to The Japanese minister in charge of territorial issues. But I guess we wont see that - as now elections are on the way in Okinawa.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

they'll slap a bunch of missile turrets on it targeting Okinawa and Japan in general.

Without those islands, their missiles can't reach Okinawa or Japan in general.

/s

2 ( +2 / -0 )

It’s about time Japan did something about conveying the evidence of the rightful owners of those said territories in contention. Staying silent and polite only emboldens Korea and China. Didn’t find a link to the new Museum but would love to visit and take some Korean and Chinese friends to show japan’s perspective and ratuonal evidence for the territorial disputes.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

NihonRyu, China is emboldened by Japan's provocative nationalization. Since 2012, just see how fast China grows military in response. That is not full speed yet. China will accelerate in a manner never happens in history. In 10 years, China will surpass US, soon China will be double the size of US. If Abe believes that nuclear weapons will contain China, think it over again, China has the capacity to match any nuclear weapons if needed. War is not a solution, bluffing is not a solution.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

@Akie Today 12:56 am JST

When Deng visited Japan, he was asked about the issue and he answered the question with wisdom and the answer please all Japanese at the time. He said if we don't have the wisdom, then let future generations to resolve it and they will be wiser.

Quite frankly, if the Japanese were genuinely pleased, I can only call them naive. It is not certain whether the next generation would be "wiser" (most likely not, really). It is, however, almost certain that China would be stronger in 30 years. So Japan was more likely to get a good deal if it took a hard line on resolving the issue then and there.

Frankly, the more I look at China today, the more I feel the Kwantung Army and its "right-wing" allies in IGHQ had the right basic idea when it comes to the Chinese after all. It was the West that did not get it (and Japan was of course forced to follow the Western line after WWII). So they tried to be nice to China. We are in 2018 now and the "success" of this idea is clearly visible.

Recently, a new term had popped up in Western discourse - "sharp power", to describe Chinese and Russian interference. Well, now that they are victims, they feel it. But the first victim of "sharp power" from the Chinese is really the post-war Japanese.

Remember when the Chinese applied temper tantrums to Japan to change their textbooks? Now, regardless of what you think should be in the textbook, the "law" of the issue should either be both sides being allowed to interfere with each other's books for the sake of improving accuracy and harmony while reducing extremism. Or we can emphasize sovereignty (like China does when it comes to itself) and say both sides are free to write whatever they want. But no, instead of treasuring this principle, the West sided with China.

Or when every time Japan changes its law an inch, China throws a temper tantrum? And that gets a lot of support from the West too.

So I laugh really hard and bitterly when it comes to this new "sharp power" business - because it is just now the rest of the West's turn to suffer. They didn't stop it when they could have, easily, and now they have to pay... sigh.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Kazuaki Shimasaki: "Frankly, the more I look at China today, the more I feel the Kwantung Army and its "right-wing" allies in IGHQ had the right basic idea when it comes to the Chinese after all. It was the West that did not get it (and Japan was of course forced to follow the Western line after WWII). So they tried to be nice to China. We are in 2018 now and the "success" of this idea is clearly visible."

So, Japan never committed any atrocities, in your mind, and it's all a conspiracy, but they SHOULD have done since they had the right idea in your mind, which... how could you know if it never happened?... and it's not their fault they colonised other nations -- it was in defense of Asia -- and not their fault they couldn't do what they want, which you claim they never did or intended to.

In short, it's everyone else's fault for everything wrong, and Japan did nothing wrong and is 100% right on everything. Got it.

-9 ( +1 / -10 )

OssanAmerica: "You've got that backwards. Japan already controls the Senkakus."

And SK controls Dokdo. Ergo, is theirs by your own admission. Well done.

"It's up to China who is raising a claim to bring the issue to the ICJ."

Not if you believe your own arguments. According to them (your arguments), Japan should be willing to go simply to clear the air. But once again, you cannot address this and previous questions I've directed at you because you simply cannot refute them. Flat out proof you know the truth of the situation.

"As for the Southern Kuriles, Japan has refrained from any ICJ action, despite considerable support for it's position from the US."

Hahaha... because there is nothing they can do. Once again, the islands are not and will never be theirs. They had a chance but gave in to right-wing fanaticism and said all or nothing. Now it's nothing. With their "We want our cake and to eat it, too" attempt to play both sides in Russian sanctions, and Putin laughing, we now have weapons systems being deployed on the islands, and with Japan taking in US missiles that could hit Russia, for which Japan asks for "cooperation" and says "is no threat to relations", Russia has them yet again by the short hairs. Take ICJ action... hahaha!

But you won't be able to refute this either.

-8 ( +2 / -10 )

@smithinjapan Today 05:36 pm JST

I said "right basic idea". Besides, you are aware that Nanking is not even a Kwantung Army responsibility - they were pigeonholed facing the Soviets.

The basic difference in opinion was whether IF the Chinese are treated nicely, they will eventually mature into a strong but responsible and pacifist people. Another way is to say Chinese can learn to be equals with others.

The West overall sided with Yes and the Japanese "right-wing" sided with No. The strategy with China flows from this basic assumption.

If the answer is Yes, then the Western strategy is correct.

If the answer is No, however, then the correct strategy is a Kwantung Army style "Divide and Conquer" strategy. The end state doesn't need to have them all conquered or even puppets, but it does need them to be separate little states.

Because after all, while people have historically been willing to give up at least some of their superiority and become equals with the less-privileged, if they are told "Sorry, no equal - either you go Above or Below" then not many would voluntarily pick the Below position.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Kazuaki Shimazaki, sharp power or not, as long as China doesn't contain Japan, doesn't divide and conquer Japan, then it is a good power because China has the right to speak freely. Abe has to choose between anti-China policy and pro-China policy, he has no choice. China has 5000 years civilization, forget about divide and conquer China. Japan did it once and should learn from it. Kwantung Army was a shame, 700,000 Japanese soldiers were annihilated in two weeks, pretty soft.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Moreover, tombs of ancient fishermen from Ilan and Keelung are scattered all over the island groups . Japan destroyed the burial grounds of the Chang and Su families while pretending to build a lighthouse there but there are still too many inside caves and large crevasses that it's impossible for Governor Shintaro Ishihara's posse to destroy all.

@Hiro S Nobumasa: Could post a link to find the information above about the desecrated graves on the islands? I never read about it before.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@ Aly Rustom .. it our atol ! no its not its our Atol

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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