Japanese foreign minister again claims "Dokdo is Japanese territory" in Diet foreign policy speech

In his annual foreign policy speech, the Japanese foreign minister has, for the 13th consecutive year, claimed that Dokdo, which is in fact Korean territory, belongs to Japan.
In a foreign policy address to an extraordinary Diet session on the 20th, Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu stated, "Takeshima in Shimane Prefecture is, in light of historical facts and under international law, inherently Japanese territory," adding that Japan would "respond in a steadfast manner."
This is similar to remarks made about a year ago by then foreign minister Iwaya Takeshi.
Since Fumio Kishida, when he was foreign minister, declared in a 2014 foreign policy speech that "Takeshima in Shimane Prefecture is inherently Japanese territory," successive Japanese foreign ministers have repeated the claim in their annual foreign policy addresses that Dokdo is Japanese land.
Motegi did, however, say that "South Korea is an important neighboring country, and we will develop our relationship in a future-oriented and stable manner."
sjmary@fnnews.com Seo Hye-jin Reporter