뉴스레터

Q : The Japanese name for Dokdo is Takeshima (竹島). When did it come in use?

The answer is January 28, 1905. In 1904, a Japanese man named Nakai Yozaburo (中井養三郞), who was in fishing business in Shimane Prefecture, filed a petition with the government (Ministries of Home Affairs, Foreign Affairs, and Agricultural and Commerce), requesting that "Liangcourt Island" should be incorporated into Japanese territory and made available for use through lease (petition title: "りゃんこ島領土編入並に貸下願"). "Liangcourt Island" was the name used in Japan at that time to refer to Dokdo, and it came from the name "Liancourt Rocks" given by the French whaler Liancourt in 1854 when they had discovered Dokdo. The Ministry of Home Affairs of Japan approved this petition, and submitted a request titled "Regarding Where the Uninhabited Island Belongs (無人島所属ニ関スル件)" in the name of Home Minister Yoshikawa Akimasa (芳川顕正) to Prime Minister Katsura Taro (桂太郎) on January 10, 1905. The request read: "Since there is no evidence that Dokdo is in the occupation of other countries and Nakai, who is in sea lion fishing business in Dokdo, has submitted a petition for lease, there is a need to confirm where the island belongs and what it should be called. Accordingly, it has been decided that the island should be called "Takeshima" and placed under the jurisdiction of the Office of Oki Islands (隱岐島司) belonging to Shimane Prefecture. Please hold a cabinet meeting for approval of this matter." On January 28, the Japanese Cabinet held a meeting and approved the Home Minister's request. It was from that day that Dokdo became officially known to Japan as "Takeshima."

Q : If Dokdo was known as the Western name of "Liancourt Island" before it was incorporated into Japanese territory and named "Takeshima," isn't it inconsistent with the claim Japan is making recently that "(Dokdo) is an island well known to the Japanese people from old times"?

Certainly. The Japanese Cabinet meeting's decision to name Dokdo Takeshima and place it under the jurisdiction of the Office of Oki Ilsands of Shimane Prefecture was based on the assumption that "there is no evidence that this uninhabited island is in the occupation of any country, nor is there any record of Japanese fishermen managing this island." In other words, this decision could be made because this island was considered ownerless land. And this island could be considered ownerless land partly because Dokdo existed under the Western name "Liancourt Rocks" or "Liancourt Island." This proves that Dokdo is not "an island well known to the Japanese people from old times."

Q : Then why is Japan claiming lately that Dokdo is "an island well known to the Japanese people from old times"?

There was a time when Dokdo was indeed "an island well known to the Japanese people from old times." But that was back in the 17th century. For quite a period during the 17th century, ships from present-day Shimane and Tottori Prefectures sailed to Ulleungdo and collected seafoods. As Dokdo could be seen on their way to Ulleungdo, they became aware of the island. At that time, the residents of Yonago, a city in Tottori, gave Ulleundgo the name Takeshima (竹島), and Dokdo the name Matsushima (松島). In 1696, the Ahn Yong-Bok incident prompted a debate between Korean and Japan over where Ulleungdo belonged. As a result, the Japanese government decided that Takeshima (Ulleungdo) and Matsushima (Dokdo) did not belong to Japan, and forbade Japanese residents from approaching Ulleungdo. This ban remained in effect for about 150 years until the modern government (Meiji Government) was established in Japan. In the process, both Ullengdo and Dokdo were slowly erased from the minds of the residents of Shimane and Tottori Prefectures. As a result, some of them even began to call Ulleungdo Matsushima. To conclude, the notion that Dokdo is "an island well known to the Japanese people from old times" can be applied only to the residents of 17th-century Shimane and Tottori Prefectures, not to the entire period of Japanese history. This is supported by a number of facts. First, the residents of Shimane and Tototri Prefectures called Ulleungdo Matsushima in the 19th century. Second, Nakai Yozaburo, a resident of Shimane Prefecture, called Dokdo Liangcourt Island in the early 20th century. Third, at the Japanese Cabinet meeting, "Takeshima," the old name for Ulleungdo, was given to Dokdo.

Q : How does the old term "Takeshima" for Ulleungdo relate to the name "Takeshima" given to Dokdo in 1905?

It is said that the old name Takeshima for Ulleungdo was given to the newly incorporated island Dokdo because Japan came to use the name Matsushima, the old name for Dokdo, for Ulleungdo starting from the 19th century. But the underlying assumption is that Ulleungdon and Dokdo were known to Japan as Takeshima and Matsushima respectively, in the past. And the assumption based on which Japan's Meiji Government incorporated Dokdo into Japanese territory was that Dokdo was ownerless land under the Western name "Liancourt Island." That Ullengdo and Dokdo were known as Takeshima and Matsushima respectively in the past is clearly inconsistent with that Dokdo was known as ownerless land called 'Liangcourt Island' at the time of incorporation into Japanese territory.

Q : Why did Japan give the name Takeshima to Ulleungdo and the name Matsushima to Dokdo in the past?

It has something to do with the plunder of Ulleungdo by Japanese pirates from the 10th to 15th centuries. As Japanese pirates plundered Ulleungdo during a period from the late Korea to the early Joseon Dynasties, the island became known to Japan as "Isotakeshima (磯竹島)," a name that means an island with bamboos along the shores. It is said that there used to be many bamboos growing in Ulleungdo. It is also said that the bamboos of Ulleungdo were large enough to be made into bowls or vases. Although there is no clear evidence, the name Takeshima seems to have come from this name Isotakeshima. The origin of this name dates back to the early 17th century when the residents of Shimane and Tottori Prefectures began sailing to Ulleungdo. The name Matsushima is related to the name Takeshima. It is an old custom of Japan to use the term Matsutake (松竹), meaning bamboos and pines, to signify celebration. It seems that since Ulleungdo was given the name Takeshima (竹島), Dokdo was naturally given the name Matsushima (松島). This is the proof clearly illustrating that Dokdo was perceived as an island dependent on Ulleungdo. Normally, when an island is given a name, the name represents the island's characteristic features, location, or products. A good example is the name Takeshima given to Ulleungdo. On the other hand, the name Matsushima given to Dokdo is not a name that represents the features of Dokdo itself. It comes from the natural features of Ulleungdo. This suggests that Japan has perceived Dokdo to be an island dependent on Ulleungdo for a long time.