- Japan’s Foreign Ministry lodged a formal protest after reports that South Korea conducted military training near the disputed Takeshima islets.
- The incident highlights ongoing territorial tensions between two U.S. allies despite broader security cooperation in Northeast Asia.
Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it has formally protested South Korea’s military training near the disputed Takeshima islets, following reports that South Korean forces conducted exercises in the area earlier this week.
According to a statement released on December 24, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan responded to reports that the South Korean military carried out drills related to Takeshima. Japan refers to the rocky islets as Takeshima, while South Korea calls them Dokdo and administers them.
In its announcement, the ministry said that Masaki Kanai, Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, conveyed Japan’s protest to Jang Hyun Kim, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Tokyo. At the same time, Hirotaka Matsuo, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Japan in South Korea, delivered a protest to Kim Sang-hoon, Director-General of the Asia-Pacific Affairs Bureau at South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The ministry said both protests were made “based on our country’s consistent position regarding Takeshima,” and described the response as a strong objection to the reported military activity.
The Japanese statement did not include additional operational details about the South Korean drills, nor did it specify the scale or nature of the training.
Takeshima consists of a group of small, rocky islets in the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea. The territory has long been a sensitive diplomatic issue between Tokyo and Seoul, with both countries asserting sovereignty. South Korea maintains a small security presence on the islets and periodically conducts exercises in nearby waters, moves that Japan routinely protests.
Japan maintains that Takeshima is an inherent part of its territory, both historically and under international law. South Korea rejects that claim and considers the islets integral to its territory, a position it has enforced through administrative control for decades.
While Japan and South Korea have expanded security cooperation in recent years, particularly in response to North Korea’s missile and nuclear programs, disputes over history and territory continue to strain bilateral relations. Military activity near contested areas often triggers diplomatic responses even during periods of broader cooperation.