Takeshima Day Ceremony Joined by Japan Govt Rep for 8th Year

February 22, 2020

Matsue, Shimane Pref.- The Shimane prefectural government held the 15th ceremony to mark Takeshima Day, designated by a prefectural ordinance, on Saturday, attended by a parliamentary vice minister from the central government for the eighth consecutive year.

The annual ceremony for the islands of Takeshima in Shimane, western Japan, is intended to seek the establishment of Japan's sovereignty over the Sea of Japan islands, effectively controlled by South Korea.

The continued participation in the event by a high-ranking Japanese national government official, this time by Takashi Fujiwara, parliamentary vice minister at the Cabinet Office, is expected to provoke a backlash from South Korea, where the islands are called Dokdo.

The ceremony in the Shimane capital of Matsue had about 500 participants, including lawmakers, members of the prefectural assembly and local residents.

Prior to the ceremony, Fujiwara visited a special room with materials about Takeshima located near the prefectural government office building Saturday morning. Jiji Press