Japan Panel Calls for Strengthening Info Dissemination on Territory

Tokyo, July 29 (Jiji Press)--A Japanese government panel on Monday called for strengthening the dissemination of information on the country's stance on its territory to China and South Korea as well as Russia. The proposal by the expert panel, headed by Masashi Nishihara, president of the Research Institute for Peace and Security, was submitted to Mitsuhiro Miyakoshi, minister for territorial issues. It may draw a backlash from the neighboring countries. The proposal said the illegal occupation continues of the Northern Territories off Hokkaido by Russia and of the Takeshima Islands in Shimane Prefecture by South Korea, and that their military drills were conducted there recently. Also citing intrusions into Japanese territorial waters by Chinese government ships around the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture, the proposal said, "There has been no change in the situation in which our country's territory and sovereignty are violated and threatened." As measures to improve and expand the dissemination of territorial information, the proposal suggested a need for "easy-to-understand" counterarguments for China and South Korea, as well as strengthening information dissemination to the East Asian neighbors. Specifically, the proposal said that showing the Japanese side's assertions to researchers from China and South Korea would prevent them from making baseless claims. In addition, the proposal urged the Japanese government to strengthen the dissemination in English of materials proving the legitimacy of Japan's sovereignty. Citing an early start for education on the Takeshima Islands in South Korea, the proposal called on the Japanese government to promote education on the islands. The proposal also said displays on the Northern Territories should be added to Tokyo's National Museum of Territory and Sovereignty when it is relocated. The proposal called for multilingual explanations for displays that include English, Russian, Chinese and Korean. "By appropriately cooperating with related government agencies, local municipalities and research institutions, we will work for information dissemination in and outside Japan in an integrated and strategic manner," Miyakoshi said. END