Shimane Prefecture, Tokyo and the territorial dispute over Dokdo/Takeshima: regional and national identities in Japan

Abstract

This paper joins the debate on Japan's territorial dispute with South Korea over the Dokdo/Takeshima islets. Informed by the ontological security framework of analysis, this paper seeks to explain the decision to adopt the ‘Takeshima Day’ ordinance by the Shimane Prefectural Assembly and the subsequent ascendance of ‘Takeshima’ to the fore of Japan's identity construction vis-à-vis the Korean ‘other’. In this paper, I distinguish between two processes: one that led to the adoption of the ordinance and another that resulted in the entrenchment of ‘Takeshima’ in Japan's identity construction vis-à-vis the Korean ‘other’. The paper argues that the former process should be understood within the context of Shimane Prefecture's distinct identity construction vis-à-vis Tokyo, while the latter can be attributed to recent changes in Japan–Korea relations unrelated to the territorial dispute per se.

Keywords:

• Japan
• South Korea
• Dokdo/Takeshima
• territorial disputes
• identity
• ontological security

Acknowledgements

I am most grateful to Dr Linus Hagström for his insightful comments on the earlier drafts of this article and for all the time and effort he devoted to this special issue project. I also thank my VUW colleagues, Prof. Oguma Eiji, Prof. Iwashita Akihiro, Dr Taku Tamaki and the anonymous reviewer for their comments on the early draft of this article.

Note

Interviews

1. Interview with unnamed official from Shimane Prefecture Fisheries Division, Oki branch on 29 January 2013 at Shimane Prefecture's Oki Branch, Oki Island, Shimane Prefecture.

2. Interview with unnamed officials from Shimane Prefecture Fisheries Division on 30 January 2013 Shimane Prefectural Government, Matsue, Shimane Prefecture.

Notes

1. The name of the islets constitutes an integral part of the dispute. Since this paper is devoted to analyzing the Japanese side of the dispute, the Japanese name will be used throughout the text. This is done, however, solely for purposes of convenience and should not be interpreted as an expression of support for Japan's claims.

Additional information

Funding

Research conducted for this article was partially funded by Academy of Korean Studies [grant number AKS-2011-R 56].