60 percent sees Takeshima as Japan's territory: survey

Some 60.7 percent of the Japanese surveyed saw Takeshima, disputed islets at the heart of heightened tensions between Tokyo and Seoul, as Japan's territory in terms of history and law, a survey conducted by Japan's Cabinet Office showed Thursday.

Asked to choose from multiple alternatives about what they knew about the South Korea-controlled islets in the Sea of Japan known as Dokdo in South Korea, 63.1 percent said Takeshima has been "unlawfully occupied" by South Korea, and 62.0 percent saw the islets as part of Shimane Prefecture.

Also 71.1 percent said they had an interest in the issue of Takeshima, while 28.0 percent said otherwise.

The Cabinet Office conducted the survey between June 20 and June 30 to gauge, for Japan's future policy, how Japanese view the islets. It covered around 3,000 Japanese aged 20 or older, of whom 1,784, or 59.5 percent, responded.

Tokyo has maintained that Takeshima is Japan's territory in terms of history and international law, and that South Korea's control of the islands has "no legal justification." It has also made a proposal that the issue should be brought to the International Court of Justice, but Seoul has not agreed to do so.

Japan's Defense Ministry said in its white paper that Takeshima is Japan's territory, prompting Seoul to lodge a protest in July.

==Kyodo

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/kyodo-news-international/130801/60-percent-sees-takeshima-japans-territory-survey