竹島問題の歴史

11.6.07

1905 Feb 24 - Japanese Newspaper "San-in Shimbun" Reports Incoporation of Takeshima into Shimane Prefecture


The following is a February 24, 1905 San-in Shimbun article announcing that Takeshima (Liancourt Rocks) has been incorporated into Japanese territory and made a part of Shimane Prefecture. Here is the translation:

Oki's New Island

Eighty-five nautical ri northwest of Oki Island, at 37 degrees 9 minutes 30 seconds north and 131 degrees 55 minutes east, is an island called Takeshima. The prefectural governor has announced that this island is now under the jurisdiction of Oki County. The island is two islands with a circumference of about 15 cho. There are several islets around the islands and a channel between them where boats can anchor. They say that even though grass grows there, there are no trees.

(Translated by Pacifist)

5 comments:

  1. Strange.. So why was this not published in a government gazette or major national dalies but only in a provincial newspaper read by ... by whom?

    Frankly, this is the first time I've even heard of this San-In newspaper. Is it still in circulation?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Shin's Archive said...

    ”Strange.. So why was this not published in a government gazette or major national dalies but only in a provincial newspaper read by ... by whom?”

    Not only newspaper, but also clearly declared in Shimane Prefecture, the local government's official gazette. Takeshima was well-known to Japanese people as Yanko-to in Meiji era or Matsushima in Edo era, so there was no need to inform the official incorporation nationwide. Anyway, it was done 100 years ago and local government's open and public announcement is valid under the international law.

    Please read more about the situation below.

    "10 Issues of Takeshima" by MOFA

    or

    "Incorporation of Takeshima into Shimane Prefecture"

    "Having received the request from Nakai, the government of Japan, hearing opinions from Shimane Prefecture, confirmed that there is no problem in bringing Takeshima under the jurisdiction of the Okinoshima branch and that "Takeshima" is the appropriate name for the islands. With this confirmation, the government, in January 1905, through the Cabinet decision, stipulated that the islands came under the jurisdiction of the Okinoshima branch of Shimane Prefectural Government, and that the islands were officially named as "Takeshima." This decision was conveyed to the Governor of Shimane Prefecture by the Minister for Home Affairs."

    I couldn't find the original images of the related documents, but below are the list of them.

    # 1905(明治三八)年4月14日 - 「島根県令18号」
    海驢漁を許可制にする漁業取締規則改正
    # 1905(明治三八)年5月3日 - 「島根県地第90号」
    知事による測量命令及び島司による実測報告
    # 1905(明治三八)年5月17日 - 官有地台帳登録(第32号隠岐国、周吉、穏地、海士、知夫郡官有地台帳)
    島根県、竹島を隠岐国四郡の官有地台帳に登録
    # 1905(明治三八)5月20日 - 「乙農第805号」
    海驢漁の許可

    Korean claim that this was done "secretely". However, all the documents and maps show Takeshima/Dokdo was not Korean territory by then, so there were no need to do it secretely and actually Meiji government and Shimane did announced the incorporation openly.

    And San-in Shinpo 山陰新報 has long history and now called San-in Chuo Shimpo(山陰中央新報). They actively report about Takeshima issue and they are great.

    You can visit their special issue of Takeshima on their web site here. (Japanese)

    発信竹島 ~真の日韓親善に向けて~

    ReplyDelete
  3. Prof. Kim Moon-gil of Busan Foreign Language Institute challenges Korea's claim on Japan's incorporation in 1905. Korean professor Shin Yong-ha insists that Japanese government stealthy incorporated Takeshima into its territory without putting the notice on the Official Gazette(官報) so that people including many Korean who resided in Japan around 1905. But the fact is, as Prof. Kim said, it was widely reported by the media and many Japanese and probably Korean knew it.

    1905 - June 5 - Tokyo Asahi Shimbun Corrected "Liancourt Rocks" as "Takeshima"

    1905 - June 2 - 皇城新聞 : Korean called "Liancourt Rocks(リアンコルド岩)" as "Angohu島", not "Dokdo", Seokdo nor Usando.

    When Korean finally noticed the incorporation in 1906 by the official visit from Shimane to Ulleungdo, they ordered investigation, but the process of this investigation nor the results had never be open to the public until today. It is natural to assume that Korean government realized the island is not theirs when while the investigation. It was not because they couldn't protest, but because they didn't have reason to.

    1906 - Feb 20 & April 17 - "Official Documents of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Vol.1" - Korean government protested about land transaction in 竹邊浦

    Someone should stop this Prof. from keeping shooting himself in the foot.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The link to the article which I mentioned above.

    "일제, 신문 통해 독도 침탈 자국내 홍보"

    김문길 부산외대 교수 "1905년 신문 보도서 확인"
    "독도를 새로 발견 섬으로 소개..조선영토 인정 증거"


    No, Prof. Kim, this article didn't say Takeshima was newly found, but it says Takeshima was incorporated into Oki's branch as its new island under the jurisdiction of Oki branch. This is the proof that Japanese recognized Takeshima as its territory but the provisional jurisdiction was not clear. There is no mention of Joseon at all.

    This Korean professor of Japanese history seems to be illiterate of Japanese.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Kaneganese,

    Not only newspaper, but also clearly declared in Shimane Prefecture, the local government's official gazette. Takeshima was well-known to Japanese people as Yanko-to in Meiji era or Matsushima in Edo era, so there was no need to inform the official incorporation nationwide. Anyway, it was done 100 years ago and local government's open and public announcement is valid under the international law.

    -->

    What a shabby excuse !

    The reason that there was no national announcement for Dokdo was Takeshima was well-known to Japanese people? I wonder if this is your personal opinion or Japanese government's.

    Acquiring a land free must be a big national celebration, Why didn't Japanese government announce it on a national newspaper so that all Japanese people could know? And 'Takeshima' was newly made name for incorporation, It's common sense Japanese government should have let her people get to know this new name.

    Moreover, the local newspaper announced Japan’s annexation of Dokdo without mentioning Dokdo's then internationally recognized name, How could readers know "this island" in this announcement referring to Dokdo?

    Japan's incorporation of Dokdo had done in the way which is unacceptable to the rational people. If you compare how and what Japan did when incorporating 小笠原島 in 1876 with Dokdo case, you'll know Japan incorporated Dokdo quietly and secretly.

    Then, why did Japan incorporate Dokdo in a clandestine manner?
    For the answer, I cite what dokdo-takeshima.com said:

    "Japan annexed Liancourt Rocks in a clandestine manner for at least a couple of reasons.

    First, it would have been foolish of the Japanese to annex Dokdo publicly and then station naval on the rocks. They would be sitting ducks in a naval conflict.

    Second, Japan was very worried they might be perceived as heavy handed if they incorporated islands thought to be Korean land. At this point the Japanese politicians were worried other foreign nations might become involved in Korean affairs. They still remembered the Triple Intervention of 1895 when they were stripped of the Liandong Peninsula by the Western nations."
    Japanese incorporation of Dokdo is a symbol of Japanese expansionism in the early 20th century and Dokdo was the victim of Japanese greedy imperialism. That's why Japan had to return Dokdo to Korea according to Cairo Declaration.

    ReplyDelete

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