Dokdo-or-Takeshima?: Japanese Government Bows to Korea on Takeshima

1.6.08

Japanese Government Bows to Korea on Takeshima

It seems like the people governing Japan at the moment are a bunch of inconsistent, Korean-ass-kissing pussies. Teaching Japanese children the truth of Takeshima should be an uncompromising responsibility of the Japanese government. Takeshima should not be the focus of Korea-Japan relations, but it also should not be ignored in Japanese schools. Not teaching the truth of Takeshima for fear of Korean displeasure is an extremely cowardly act.

Here is a link to a May 28, 2008 article from "Kyodo News":

"Schools to skip row on Takeshima"

5 comments:

Kaneganese1/6/08 01:55
Though I couldn't find the original Kyodo news, but as far as I know, they didn't decide to "refrain from identigying". They only answered that they hadn't decided anything yet. Japan Times are infamous for its mistranslating Japanese article into different nuanced English. Debito is now writing article. I truly hope they won't go this far and report things truely based on facts. Ministry of Education decide if they are going to include it in the handbook or not in July.
ReplyDelete
Replies
Anonymous1/6/08 14:39
Here goes Gerry on another Mussolini rant from the balcony. I agree, the Japanese government should include teaching their children about Dokdo Takeshima.

However, if they are going to do so, they must include all of the historical circumstances surrounding Japan's involvement in the region. This includes the Russo~Japanese War, the Japanese civilian invasion of Ulluengdo, the Meiji expansionist era and so on.

This is why the Japanese government wants to distance itself from the right wing lunatic fringe that keeps demanding the islands. Whenever Japan makes demands for the return of Dokdo Takeshima evidence is presented showing how and why Japan seized the islets and the ugly truth to Japan's claim becomes clear.

In other words, by renewing her claim to Dokdo the Japanese government is perpetually giving herself a huge P.R. black eye.
ReplyDelete
Replies
Anonymous21/6/08 22:04
Not that we are afraid of the Koreans.

It is just that Japan as the only developed nation in the area is showing its example of noblesse oblige.

Easy to beat a weak country like Korea, but we won't do so for the islets even if our constitutions allow.
ReplyDelete
Replies
Kaneganese26/6/08 16:46
I found the original Kyodo news article.

"竹島領土記述は「未定」韓国に政府回答

　文部科学省が新学習指導要領の中学校社会科の解説書に、竹島（韓国名・独島）を「我が国固有の領土」と盛り込むことを検討している問題で、政府は韓国政府の照会に対し「記述内容は未定。方針を決めた事実はない」などと回答していることが、２７日に閣議決定した鈴木宗男衆院議員への答弁書で明らかになった。

　竹島の記載をめぐっては、韓国の柳明桓外交通商相が１９日、「事実なら、未来へ向かおうとの努力に逆行するもの」として、重家俊範駐韓日本大使に是正を要求。権哲賢・駐日韓国大使も高村正彦外相に強い遺憾の意を伝えるなど、両国間の新たな摩擦の原因になることが懸念されている。

　文科省は解説書を７月中旬までに作成するとしているが、文科省の銭谷真美事務次官は「書くか書かないかも含め検討中で、明確に言える状態ではない」と述べ、今後の判断について明言を避けている。

2008/05/27 11:36 "

There is no mention of "Japan will refrain from identifying Takeshima." It only says that the Mr. Zeniya, a vice-minister of Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology answered to the question by Rep. Suzuki that it is not decided anything yet and avoided the clear answer." It clearly showed that The Japan Times is incompetent news paper. I honestly hope they would immediately stop spreading half-truth about Japan to the world.
ReplyDelete
Replies
Anonymous18/7/08 20:21
I totally agree with you.

Japan was lenient to Korea during the days of Cold War, trying not to arouse the uncivillized emotions of the Korean narrow minded nationalism. They do not accept the negotiations and even reject the Japan's proposal to go to the International Court of Justice. Japan's mindset is now completely changed and they are not coward anymore.
ReplyDelete
Replies

Add comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

NE Shore of Ulleungdo (鬱陵島 - 울릉도)

This satellite photo shows Ulleungdo's neighboring islands of Gwaneumdo (觀音島) and Jukdo (竹島) off Ulleungdo's east shore. Gwaneumdo is only about 100 meters offshore and looks more like a cape than an island. Jukdo is about 2 km offshore. The old Korean name for Jukdo was "Usando" (于山島), as many of Korea's old maps show. Koreans claim that Usando was Korea's old name for "Dokdo" (Liancourt Rocks), but they have no documents or maps to prove it. Also, Liancourt Rocks is about ninety-two kilometers southeast of Ulleungdo and are essentially two islands, but all of Korea's old maps show it as one island just off shore of Ulleungdo.

"Cheonggudo" (靑邱圖) Atlas (1860 - 1872)

This Korean map of Ulleungdo (鬱陵島 - 울릉도) showed it with a small island off its eastern shore labeled as "Usan" (于山). Hash marks at the bottom of the map showed that Usan was less than 4 km off Ulleungdo's east shore. That would mean that it would be Ulleungdo's neighboring island of Jukdo, which is about 2.2 km off Ulleungdo's east shore. Koreans claim that Usando was the old name for Dokdo (Liancourt Rocks), but Dokdo is 92 km southeast of Ulleungdo and is essentially two islands, not one. The map is stored in the National Library of Korea.

"Cheonggudo" (靑邱圖) Atlas (1834)

This Korean map of Ulleungdo (鬱陵島 - 울릉도) showed Usan (于山 - 우산) as a neighboring island just off Ulleungdo's east shore. The hash marks at the bottom of the map showed the island to be about 4 km offshore. Usando was the old Korean name for Ulleungdo's neighboring island of Jukdo, which is about 2.2 km of Ulleungdo's east shore. Koreans claim that Usando was the old Korean name for "Dokdo" (Liancourt Rocks), which is 92 km southeast of Ulleungdo, but this map and many others prove that claim false. The map is stored in Seoul National University's Kyujanggak Center for Korean Studies.

"Dong Yeodo" (東輿圖) Atlas (1795 - 1800)

This map showed Ulleungdo (鬱陵島 - 울릉도) with a neighboring island labeled as "Usan" (于山 - 우산). Usando (于山島) was the old Korean name for Ulleungdo's neighboring island of Jukdo (竹島 - 죽도), which is about 2.2 km off Ulleungdo's east shore. Koreans claim that Usando was the old name for "Dokdo" (Liancourt Rocks), which is 92 km southeast of Ulleungdo, but this map and many others prove that claim wrong. The map is stored in Japan's "University of Tsukuba Library" (筑波大学附属図書館).

"Joseon-do" (朝鮮圖) - 1800 - 1822

This map of Ullelungdo (鬱陵島) is from the Korean atlas "Joseon-do" (朝鮮圖), which is believed to have been made sometime between 1800 and 1822. Ulleungdo is shown with a neighboring island labeled as Usan (于山). Koreans claim that Usando (于山島) was the old Korean name for Dokdo (Liancourt Rocks), but this map and many others show that it was Ulleungdo's neighboring island of Jukdo (竹島), which is Ulleungdo's largest neighboring island and only two kilometers off Ulleungdo's east shore. The map is stored in the Osaka Nakanoshima Library (中之島圖書館).

"Gwandong Bangyeo" (關東方輿) - late 1800s?)

This map of Ulleungdo comes from an atlas entitled "Gwandong Bangyeo" (關東方輿), which was probably made in the late 1800s since the map is very similarly to another map of Ulleungdo that was made between 1884 and 1894. The mapmaker used gridlines to help show relative size and distance. The map shows Ulleungdo with a small island off its east shore labeled as "Usan" (于山), which was the old Korean name for Ulleungdo's neighboring island of Jukdo (竹島 - 죽도). Jukdo is Ulleungdo's largest neighoring island and is about two kilometers off Ulleungdo's east shore. Koreans claim that Usando was the old Korean name for "Dokdo" (Liancourt Rocks), but they have no maps or documents to prove it. The map is stored in the Korean National Library.

"Joseon Jido" (朝鮮地圖) Atlas (1750 - 1768)

This Korean map of Ulleungdo (鬱陵島 - 울릉도) showed "Usan" (于山 - 우산) as a neighboring island. The grid lines on the map helped show the small island's relative distance from Ulleungdo. Usando (于山島 - 우산도) was the old Korean name for Ulleungdo's neighboring island of Jukdo (竹島 - 죽도), which is about 2.2 km off Ulleungdo's east shore. Korean's claim that Usando was the old name for "Dokdo" (Liancourt Rocks), but this map and many others prove that claim false.

Inspector's Map of Ulleungdo (1711)

The map is an inspector's map that showed Ulleungdo with an island off its east shore labeled as "the so-called Usando" (所謂于山島). The small island was also labeled as having "fields of haejang bamboo" (海長竹田). Koreans claim that Usando was Dokdo (Liancourt Rocks), but this map shows that it could not have been Dokdo since Dokdo is just rocks without the soil to grow haejang bamboo. Also, Usando was shown as a neighboring island of Ulleungdo, but Dokdo is 92 km southeast of Ulleungdo. Stored in Seoul Nat'l University's Kyujanggak Institute of Korean Studies.

"Haejwa Jeondo" (海左全圖) - mid 1800s

This old Korean map showed Ulleungdo (鬱陵島 - 울릉도) with a small neighboring island just off its east shore labeled as "Usan" (于山 - 우산). Koreans claim that Usando (于山島 - 우산도) was the old name for Dokdo (Liancourt Rocks), but this map is evidence against the Korean claim. Liancourt Rocks is essentially two islands 92 kilometers southeast of Ulleungdo, but the Usan on this map is just off Ulleungdo's east shore and is only one island. In fact, Usando was the old name for Ulleungdo's neighboring island of Jukdo (竹島 - 죽도), which is only two kilometers off Ulleungdo's east shore.

Carte de la Coree (1846)

This map was made iin 1846 by Kim Dae-geon (金大建), who was Korea's first Catholic priest. He made this map for the benefit of the French priest he works with. He was killed by the Joseon government the same year this map was made. The map shows Ulleungdo labeled in French as "Oulangto" and its neighboring island of Usando labeled as "Ousan." Koreans claim that Usando (于山島 - 우산도) was the old name for Dokdo (Liancourt Rock), but this map shows Usando as one island just of the east shore of Ulleungdo. That tells us that Usando was almost certainly Ulleungdo's neighboring island of Jukdo (竹島 - 죽도), which is only 2 kilometers off Ulleungdo's east shore. Also, this island could not have been Liancourt Rocks since Liancourt Rocks is essentially two islands not one. The original of this map is stored in the National Library of France.

Joseon Jeondo (朝鮮全圖) from the "Gakdo Jido" (各道地圖) Atlas (latter 18th c.)

This old Korean map showed an island labeled as "Usando" (于山島 - 우산도) just off the east shore of Ulleundo (鬱陵島 - 울릉도). Koreans claim that Usando was the old name for Dokdo (Liancourt Rocks), but this map is more evidence against that claim. Liancourt Rocks is essentially two islands ninety-two kilometers southeast of Ulleungdo, but this map shows Usando as one island just off Ulleungdo's east shore. Usando was, in fact, the old name for Ulleungdo's neighboring island of Jukdo (竹島 - 죽도), which is about two kilometers off Ulleungdo's east shore. This map is stored in Korea's Yeongnam University Museum.

"Joseon Jido" (朝鮮地圖) Atlas (1898)

"Donggyeong San Cheon - Paldo Jido (東京山川八道地圖) Atlas (date unknown)

"Jeongukdo" (全國圖) from the "Dongguk Daecheondo" (東國大全圖) - 1740

This old Korean map shows Ulleungdo (鬱陵島 - 울릉도) with a small neighboring island just off its east shore labeled as "Usando" (于山島 - 우산도). Koreans claim that Usando was the old name for Dokdo, but this map is evidence against that claim. Liancourt Rocks is essentially two islands ninety-two kilometers southeast of Ulleungdo, but the Usando on this map is one island just off the east shore of Ulleungdo. Usando was, in fact, the old name for Ulleungdo's neighboring island of Jukdo (竹島 - 죽도), which is about two kilometers off Ulleungdo's east shore. This map is stored in the Korean National Museum.

竹島問題の歴史

1.6.08

Japanese Government Bows to Korea on Takeshima

5 comments: