Russia makes no comment to Japan following its aircraft’s intrusion of airspace near Dokdo

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga

Omission indicates Moscow sees Dokdo as S. Korean territory, not Japan’s

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga

Japan is in an awkward situation after chiming in on a Russian military aircraft’s violation of South Korean airspace near Dokdo with claims of Japanese ownership of the islets.

When asked during a regular press conference on the afternoon of July 24 whether Russia’s deputy military attaché had expressed regret to Japan over Russian military aircraft’s flight after the Blue House’s reports that he had done so to the South Korean government the day before, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said, “No message of regret has been communicated [to Japan].”

“I am not in a position to comment on what occurs between Russia and South Korea,” Suga added.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sternly protested to the Russian embassy in Japan to forcefully demand the prevention of similar incidents in the future,” he said.

On July 23, the Japanese government claimed Dokdo as Japanese territory while protesting the incident to both South Korea and Russia. In a July 23 press conference, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said, “The [warning shot] measures taken by South Korea are absolutely unacceptable to us, and we have sent a message of protest to South Korea to that effect.”

“Takeshima [the name claimed by Japan for Dokdo] is Japanese territory,” he said.

Kono also said Japan had “protested Russia’s violation of our airspace” and “will continue to communicate appropriately with Russia to ensure this is not repeated.” But the Russian government’s omission of a statement of its position to Japan indicates that Japan is being treated as a third party.

During the press conference, Suga was asked whether the response from Russia meant it was “treating Takeshima as South Korean territory” and how Tokyo was taking that. In response, he merely stated that “Takeshima is inherently Japanese territory, and we will obviously continue to respond from a basis on that position in our relations with Russia.”

By Cho Ki-weon, Tokyo correspondent

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