TOKYO, Japan – Japan has lodged protests with South Korea over army drills by the latter on disputed islands, calling the transfer “extremely regrettable.”
Japan’s international ministry in an announcement on Friday stated it summoned a senior diplomat on the South Korean embassy in Tokyo, whereas the Japanese embassy in Seoul additionally summoned a senior South Korean official to make the protest.
“Takeshima is indisputably an inherent territory of Japan, in light of historical facts and based on international law,” the ministry stated within the assertion. “The drills by the South Korean military are unacceptable and extremely regrettable.”
The two nations have lengthy been at loggerheads over the sovereignty of the group of islets known as Takeshima in Japan and Dokdo in Korea, which lie about midway between the East Asian neighbors within the Sea of Japan, which South Korea calls the East Sea.
The Japanese protest comes at the same time as bilateral frictions have eased just lately amid shared issues about China’s rising would possibly and U.S. entreaties for its allies to work extra carefully collectively. U.S., Japanese and South Korean leaders have been anticipated to carry a trilateral summit within the United States this summer time.
Asked concerning the Japanese protest, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department stated the query of sovereignty was for South Korea and Japan to resolve, however added that “a robust and effective trilateral relationship … is critical for our shared security and common interests.”
A South Korean army official stated his nation had performed the army drills routinely yearly.
“The East Sea territory defense exercise was carried out to conduct our mission to protect our territory, people and property,” the official stated. — Reuters
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
