The 18th column “Seeking Truth Based Solely on Facts(実事求是)”

Below is a translation of The 18th column “Seeking Truth Based Solely on Facts(実事求是)” by Prof. Shimojo Masao

"Absurd and Peculiar Theory of Prof. Hosaka, plus the "Children and textbook nationwide net 21" and others' Getting "Out of Control.” "

The commemorative ceremony of "Takeshima Day" marked fourth year in 2009. At the same time, the movement of people who blindly sympathize with Korea's claim became outspoken, too. On February 21, in Tokyo, with the backup of the South Korea's North Eastern Asian History Foundation that is the government agency in South Korea, Japan and South Korea's "cooperative" symposium was held by "Children and textbook nationwide net 21". Addition to this, the publication commemoration lecture of the Prof. Emeritus Naito, who kept criticizing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and symposiums were held in the same Matsue city on that day of the ceremony of "Takeshima Day".

In addition, on 23, Korea's JoongAng Daily put the interview of Mr. Hosaka Yuji of General Insitute of Dokdo, 世宗 university. In the article, titled "Look at this map, Japan, Who's territory is this Dokdo? ", they declared that Usando in in two Korean old maps ("海東輿地図" (early 19C) and "海左全図"(mid 19C)) are today's Takeshima(Liancourt Rocks/Dokdo) .

According to Mr. Hosaka, though Japan has claimed that Jukdo, which locates 2 km away east of Ulleungdo, was Usando, Usando in two Korean old maps ("海東輿地図" and "海左全図") has mountain peak described, so Usando must be Dokdo/Takeshima , not Jukdo, which is a plain island and shouldn't be described as having mountain peaks.

However, that is extremely absurd and peculiar claim. Mountain peaks on Usando in those maps are coloured in green, a same colour of Ulleungdo. So, it is impossible to determine that those Usandos are Dokdo/Takeshima, which is simply rocky reefs without any green trees. Besides, Usaodos in those maps are drawn as one islands, but Takeshima consists of two islands, Male(West) island and Female(East) island, and Japanese had already recognized it as two islets even in early Edo era , when Takeshima was correctly described as two islets in many maps like "Genroku Map " or "Kyoho Map".

Mr. Hosaka claims Usandos, which are described as sole island, are today's Takeshima, but actually, Usando on Korean maps started to be described as Jukdo through Joseon official inspection of Ulleungdo by 朴錫昌 in 1711. Bak put a note "所謂于山島" on Jukdo, and both "海東輿地図" and "海左全図" in concern also follow it. The proof of this is "欝陵島外図" by Lee 李奎遠, who went to Ulleungdo for official inspection in 1882. "竹島(Jukdo)", a small island described on "欝陵島外図", is apparently a small island, noted as "所謂于山島"by Bak in his "欝陵島図形". The island was started to be called as "竹島(Jukdo)"when Kitazawa Masanari concluded Jukdo as "竹島" in his 1881 book "Takeshima Kohsho(竹島考証)" and "Takeshima Hanzu Shozokuko(竹島版図所属考)" based on the survey of Ulleungdo by Japanese Warship Amagi. It is clear that Usando on Korean maps are Jukdo after 1711. Still, South Korea keeps insisting obstinately that Usando is today's Takeshima, based on the sentence of "東国文献備考"（1770）, "輿地志云 鬱陵 于山 皆于山國地 于山則倭所謂松島也 ("Yojiji" says that Ulleung and Usan are all Usanguk. Usan is so-called Japanese Matsushima. )", quoting "Yojiji(輿地志)." However, the wording quoted from "Yojiji" was fabrication by posterity, hence it can't be any evidence of Usando being Matsushima(today's Takeshima). Because the original "Yojiji" says "一説干山　鬱陵　本一島　地方百里( It is said that Usan and Ulleung were originally one island with an area of 100 ri) ",meaning Usando was Ulleungdo, but it never mentions any "Matsushima" at all.

On February last year, Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs published "10 Issues of Takeshima" and pointed this fabrication of quotation. Prof, Emeritus Naito Seichu, who keeps criticizing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, only assumed it to be a different opinion, failing to provide any evidence which proves today's Takeshima was Korean territory. "Children and textbook nationwide net 21" followed Naito's groundless claim blindly and dare to hold "symposium"prior to Shimane's "Takeshima Day". What was their purpose? Besides, this "symposium"was funded by South Korea's governmental organization. The historical title is critical in territorial dispute. But it doesn't mean one can distort the historical facts and look down on Japan intentionally. A certain, historical grounds are necessary for the discussion about the territorial issue.

Below are "海東輿地図" and "海左全図" which are published in South Korea's JoongAng Daily. On Usando which locates east of Ulleungdo, mountain peaks are drawn and coloured in green just like Joseon peninsula and Ulleungdo. It is impossible to define this island as today's Takeshima, which has no trees at all.

“実事求是　〜日韓のトゲ、竹島問題を考える〜 第18回　荒唐無稽な保坂教授の珍説と「子どもと教科書全国ネット21」等の暴走　下條正男”

Courtesy of Web Takeshima Research Center.

The 24th column “South Korean Government dug their own grave by publishing the English version of "The Dokdo/Takeshima Controversy" by Prof. Emeritus Naito Seichu and Mr. Park Byeong-seop.”

The 23rd column " Refutation against the report of South Korean Yonhap News Agency which misread the Mori Kohan（森幸安）'s "The Map of Tsushima(對馬輿地図)"

The 22th column “ Refutation against "The Meiji Government's recognition of Takeshima=Dokdo" by Mr. Park Byeong-seop(朴炳渉)””, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

The 21st column " Refutation against "Analysis of Shimojo Masao's Editorials" by Mr. Park Byeong-seop(朴炳渉)”

The 20th column “Act of Folly by "Northeast Asian History Foundation"”

The 19th column “"Korea Maritime Institute(KMI : 韓国海洋水産開発院）, who lacks ability to read their own historical documents, criticized on Shimane Prefecture. "”

The 18th column “Absurd and Peculiar Theory of Prof. Hosaka, plus the "Children and textbook nationwide net 21" and others' Getting "Out of Control.””

The 17th column “The Ordinance of Prime Minister and Cabinet Office, No.24 and the Ordinance of the Ministry of Finance, No.4 in 1951(昭和26年).”

The 16th column ""Dokdo Month" without any historical grounds."

The 15th column " South Korea's Groundless Claim of "Inherent Part of (Korean) Territory"

The 14th column “A reckless Courage of the Professor Kimishima Kazuhiko(君島和彦) of Tokyo Gakugei University(東京学芸大学).

The 13th column “Sins of Asahi Shimbun and Mr. Wakamiya Yoshibumi(若宮啓文).

The 12th column “Northeast Asian History Foundation and Dokdo Research Center's Misunderstanding”

The 11th column “South Korea's Misunderstanding of 'A Map of Three Adjoining Countries (Sangoku Setsujozu 三国接壌図)' by Hayashi Shihei(林子平)”

The 10th column " A Blunder of Sokdo(石島) = Dokto(独島) Theory”

The 9th column "Criticism on Dokdo Research Center”

The 8th column “The Historical Facts" The 6th column “Onshu-shicho-goki (隠州視聴合記)" and the "Nihon Yochi Totei Zenzu (日本輿地路程全図)" by Nagakubo Sekisui(長久保赤水)"

The 5th column “South Korea’s erroneous interpretation of the document 'Takeshima and Another Island are Unrelated to Japan"

The 4th column “Errors in Educational Video Produced by the Northeast Asian History Foundation (東北アジア歴史財団)."

References :

Another Ridiculous Claim from Hosaka Yuji

일본이여 이 지도를 봐라, 독도가 어디 땅인지(Korean)

「于山島が独島」…１９世紀の「海東輿地図」を分析(Japanese) (cache)

1656 - "Yojiji (輿地志)" by Ryu Hyung-won (柳馨遠) didn't say "Usan is so-called Japanese Matsushima."

Mid 17th century - Illustrative Map of Matsushima (松嶋絵図) by Murakawa Clan

1696c.a. - "Illustrative Map of Takeshima submitted by Kotani Ihei(小谷伊兵衛より差出候竹嶋之絵図)"

1711 - Bak Chang-seok's (朴昌錫) Map of Ulleungdo （鬱陵島圖形）

2008 - "10 Issues of Takeshima" by MOFA

Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs （ English [PDF] /Japanese [PDF] /Korean [PDF] )