Japan opens museum on disputed islands

TOKYO — Japan on Thursday opened a museum in Tokyo devoted to two sets of disputed islands, a move likely to spark anger from South Korea and China, which also claim sovereignty.

The museum, run by the Japanese government, displays documents and photographs defending Japan’s claims over the islands.

Japan has a longstanding dispute with China over uninhabited islands in the East China Sea. They are administered by Japan, where they are known as “Senkaku” but also claimed by China, which calls them “Diaoyu.”

Tokyo also claims islands in the Sea of Japan that are controlled by South Korea. They are known as Dokdo in Korean and Takeshima in Japanese.

“We hope this will be a key facility that deepens understanding on the Takeshima and Senkaku islands,” said Tetsuma Esaki, minister in charge of territorial issues, as he opened the museum, according to local media.

The move comes after Japan recently spotted a Chinese nuclear-powered submarine in waters surrounding the Tokyo-administered isles in the East China Sea.

The Japanese government has long complained about China’s routine dispatch of coastguard ships to Japan’s territorial waters surrounding the islands.

Relations between Japan and China deteriorated in 2012 when Tokyo “nationalized” some of the islets.

Since then, the two top Asian economies have taken gradual steps to mend fences but relations remain tense. —