S. Korea leader arrives at disputed islands
SEOUL, Aug 10, 2012 (AFP) - South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak landed Friday on remote islands disputed with Japan, according to Japanese news reports, on an unprecedented visit which stirred anger in Tokyo.
Jiji Press, quoting a Japanese foreign ministry official, said Lee had arrived at the rocky volcanic outcrops in the Sea of Japan (East Sea), known as Dokdo in Korean and Takeshima in Japanese.
It would be the first-ever visit by a South Korean president to the islands, which have been disputed for decades between Seoul and former colonial ruler Tokyo.
The South has stationed a small coastguard detachment on them since 1954.
A Seoul presidential spokeswoman could not confirm whether Lee had arrived at Dokdo. He was visiting South Korea's Ulleung island earlier Friday and was scheduled to fly by helicopter to nearby Dokdo if weather permitted.
In Tokyo, Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba said any such visit “would have a great impact on Japan-South Korea relations” and Japan would “have to respond firmly”.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura described the planned trip as “extremely regrettable” at a time when Tokyo was seeking “future-oriented” relations with Seoul.
“I want South Korea to maintain self-restraint,” Fujimura said.
Lee's trip would come just days before the August 15 anniversary of Japan's World War II surrender, which ended its 35-year rule over Korea.
South Korea last week summoned a senior Japanese diplomat to strongly protest his country's renewed claim to the islands in its latest defence white paper.