It was belatedly confirmed that the Japanese National Exhibition Center had produced and used a promotional video that claimed Dokdo as its own territory and that Japan’s future generations would be able to visit it.
On the YouTube account of the Japanese Territory and Sovereignty Museum, a 30-second, 3-minute video is posted to promote the claim that Dokdo is Japanese territory. This video was uploaded by the exhibition hall two years ago, and the two videos have been viewed more than 220,000 times.
In the video, the child tells the father, “There are places that cannot be visited even in Japan, such as the northern territories and Takeshima.”
After visiting the Territory and Sovereignty Exhibition Hall, the child’s mother tells the child, “I can’t go to the land that the Japanese cultivated and lived on now.” Her father also emphasizes again, “I can definitely go.”
It is analyzed that this was made to plant a false perception that Dokdo was developed and inhabited by the Japanese a long time ago. The Northern Territory mentioned along with Dokdo refers to the four southern islands of the Kuril Islands. It is now effectively controlled by Russia.
The Territory and Sovereignty Exhibition Hall, which opened on a 100m2 scale in Hibiya Park, Tokyo in January 2018, expanded to 673m2 when it moved to Toranomon, Chiyoda-ku in January 2020. On the Korean website of the exhibition hall, there is a phrase that reads, “The Northern Territory, Takeshima, and the Senkaku Islands are inherently Japanese territories and have never been part of any other country.”
Earlier, in a diplomatic blue document released by the Japanese government on the 11th, the Japanese government said, “Takeshima (the name of Dokdo claimed by Japan) is clearly Japan’s inherent territory even in light of historical facts and international law.” They continue to illegally occupy without grounds.”
In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea issued a statement in the name of a spokesperson, saying, “We strongly protest against the repeated unreasonable territorial claim to Dokdo, which is our own territory that is clear historically, geographically, and under international law, and urge the immediate withdrawal.” Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said that the Korean government’s protest was “unacceptable.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.