Japan has released its annual defense white paper... making false territorial claims over South Korea’s Dokdo island for the 15th consecutive year.
This year, Japan went further to include statements that suggest... Japan could militarily respond in case of a foreign incursion into Dokdo Island.
Our Kim Ji-yeon has more on this, and South Korea’s reactions.
It's been less than a year since a Japanese defense attache was summoned to Seoul's defense ministry over a dispute regarding Tokyo's claim that its patrol aircraft was targeted by South Korea.
This time officials were summoned over an alarming statement in Japan's annual defense white paper that suggests Japan would send military forces to South Korean territory... in case of what it claims would be an incursion.
Seoul's defense ministry summoned Japanese defense attache Tatsuya Watanabe Friday afternoon... while Seoul's foreign ministry summoned Taisuke Mibae, the minister for political affairs at the Japanese embassy in Seoul.
In the white paper, Japan renewed the false territorial claim it's been making for the past 15 years... over South Korea's easternmost Dokdo Island,... but what's new this time is that Japan suggested it could scramble fighter jets if the airspace over the island is violated.
The paper referred to an incident in July... in which a Russian warplane had intruded into the airspace over Dokdo... stating Japan had filed a protest with South Korea for firing warning shots toward the Russian aircraft... an act done in what it called its "territory."
The white paper said such airspace violations should be dealt with by Japan's Air Self-Defense Force... referring to Article 84 of its Self-Defense Force Act.
In response, the South Korean government demanded that Japan immediately rectify such wrongful claims... reiterating that Seoul would respond firmly to any efforts to disrespect the its sovereignty over Dokdo Island... which is clearly South Korea's territory considering its history and geography... and international law.
The government also urged Japan to correct statements regarding Tokyo's claims that a Japanese patrol aircraft was targeted by a South Korean warship in the East Sea last December,... which Seoul strongly denies.
Seoul also brought up Japan's claim saying South Korea is fully to blame for fraying ties stemming from the recent row over trade and the wartime atrocities during Japan's colonial rule over Korea between 1910 and 1945.
Here Japan also blamed South Korea for terminating the two countries' military intel-sharing pact.
Seoul said rather it's Japan that needs to work on restoring trust with Seoul... and that the lack thereof is the reason it terminated the pact in August.
Kim Ji-yeon, Arirang News.