South Korea slams 'Takeshima Rice' product, escalating territorial dispute

A new point of contention has emerged in the long-standing territorial dispute between South Korea and Japan, with the appearance of a rice product labeled 'Japan Takeshima' in Shimane Prefecture. The product, featuring a 2kg bag with text indicating 'Japan Takeshima' and 'Shimane Prefecture Rice,' along with claims of 'special cultivation rice' and 'Shimane Prefecture's Oki Island Takeshima is Japanese territory,' has drawn sharp criticism from South Korea.

Seo Kyoung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women's University, publicly condemned the product, sharing a photo received from a netizen on social media. He questioned the logic behind such merchandise, stating, "Does creating various goods make Dokdo Japanese territory?" Seo urged Shimane Prefecture to confront history and cease its "unreasonable claims" regarding Dokdo, which South Korea calls Takeshima. He noted a pattern of continuous product development by Shimane Prefecture aimed at asserting its territorial claims.

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Does creating various goods make Dokdo Japanese territory?

This 'Takeshima Rice' is not an isolated incident. Shimane Prefecture has previously courted controversy with similar products, including 'Takeshima Salt' sold at Yonago Airport in April and 'Takeshima Curry' introduced during the 'Takeshima Day' event in February. These actions reflect a broader strategy by Japan to reinforce its sovereignty claims. The Japanese government has consistently included assertions that "South Korea illegally occupies Dokdo" in its textbooks for elementary, middle, and high schools. This stance was reiterated in the high school social studies textbooks approved in March and in the Japanese Defense White Paper released on August 4th, which also claimed Dokdo as Japanese territory.

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Shimane Prefecture must face history and stop its unreasonable claims regarding Dokdo.