 JCP chair comments on Shimane prefecture's 'Takeshima Day' The Shimane Prefectural Assembly on March 16 approved an ordinance to designate February 22 as "Takeshima Day." A Japanese Communist Party Assembly member abstained from voting. Takeshima is made up of two small islets located between the western Japanese prefecture of Shimane and South Korea. Both countries are claiming sovereignty over the group of islets that have a total area of 0.23 sq. km. At a press conference in Tokyo on the same day, JCP Chair Shii Kazuo said, "Both countries should not take an unilateral approach and should work for a reasonable resolution of the problem." Although the JCP's position is that the Japanese government has grounds for claiming Takeshima, Shii stressed, "It is important to seek a negotiated resolution. Such an approach will be in Japan's interests." (end) |