Minister tells diplomats not to fly Korean Air over isles row+

TOKYO, July 14 Kyodo -
Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto has instructed his ministry officials not to fly on Korean Air for one month from next Monday to protest a demonstration flight by the airline last month above disputed islets in the Sea of Japan, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday.
State Foreign Secretary Chiaki Takahashi also told a press conference that the ministry will not invite Korean Air officials to events it will host or co-host. Matsumoto has aired concerns over the June 16 flight, describing the incident as ''a violation of Japan's airspace.''
Takahashi said the unprecedented measure targeted at a private airline is intended to ''strongly demonstrate Japan's regret over the incident and warn Korean Air against clear encroachment on our airspace.''
The state secretary said Tokyo has filed a protest with the South Korean government and the headquarters of the airline over the flight above the South Korean-controlled islets known as Takeshima in Japan and Dokdo in South Korea.
As for Japan's future policy on the territorial row, Takahashi said, ''We will continue persistent diplomatic efforts for a peaceful resolution of the dispute.''
Matsumoto's instruction triggered an instant backlash from Seoul, which expressed ''strong regret and disappointment'' over the measure and demanded an immediate withdrawal of the ban.
''The Japanese measure, regarded as a sort of sanction against a private company, can hardly be understood,'' Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho Byung Jae told reporters, according to Yonhap News Agency.
An Airbus A380 passenger jet operated by Korean Air entered Japanese airspace above the disputed islets a day before it went into service between Seoul and Tokyo. The jet carried executives of the airline as well as South Korean and foreign reporters.