the 07/22/2008

South Korea metro bans Japanese condom adverts amid islands row

 

A simmering territorial row between South Korea and Japan todaythreatened to spill over into Korean bedrooms after transportauthorities in Seoul ordered the removal from subway trains ofposters advertising Japanese condoms.

The order came amid rising tension over the countries' competingclaims to two islands in the Sea of Japan. Earlier this week, SouthKorea recalled its ambassador in Tokyo in protest at Japan'sdecision to mention Japan's claims to islands in new guidelines forjunior high school teachers.

The guidelines reportedly state that the islands belong to Japan,while noting that South Korea also claims sovereignty. But the meremention of the territory - known as the Takeshima islands in Japanand Dokdo in South Korea - was enough to inflame nationalists inSeoul, who yesterday pelted the Japanese embassy with rotten eggsand tomatoes.

According to the South Korean news agency Yonhap, Seoul todayrejected a Japanese offer to discuss the dispute when the Aseanregional forum meets in Singapore next week.

"I consider this a great shame," said the chief cabinet secretary,Nobutaka Machimura. "I think it is very important for ourdiplomatic representatives to hold frank talks, particularly attimes like this."

The Seoul metro, which operates trains on four subway lines in theSouth Korean capital, said it had informed Okamoto, the condoms'maker, of its decision to remove the posters advertising "Japan'sNo.1" prophylactic.

"Having condom ads in a public space might not be acceptable forsome people. Secondly, there is an anti-Japanese sentiment brewingamong citizens over the Dokdo issue," a spokesman for Seoul Metrotold Yonhap.

The row centres on two main islands and dozens of tiny reefs andoutcrops that lie roughly equidistant from Japan and South Korea.

South Korea insists the islands have been part of its territorysince the sixth century and were seized by Japan in 1905, fiveyears before it began its 35-year occupation of the Koreanpeninsula. The islands, it says, reverted to South Korea under the1951 San Francisco peace treaty.

Japan, however, says it established its sovereignty over theislands in the 17th century, and that they were not considered partof South Korea when Tokyo agreed to relinquish its territorialclaims at the end of the second world war.

The row is expected to continue as the South Korean president, LeeMyung-bak, attempts to arrest a dramatic decline in support at homeamid widespread anger over the resumption of US beef imports. Lee,who took office in February promising better relations with Japan,this week said his government would respond "strictly and sternly"on the Takeshima issue.

The furore has at least succeeded in uniting rival South Koreanpoliticians. The ruling Grand National party condemned Japan'smove, while the opposition Democratic party said it was "tantamountto pouring cold water on peace in north-east Asia".

Earlier this week, South Korean MPs made a symbolic flight over theislands, and the country's coastguard said it had increased thenumber of patrol boats and helicopters in the area.

The competing claims over the territory, which is guarded by a fewdozen South Korean police, are motivated by more than nationalpride. The islands are surrounded by rich fishing grounds, whilethe seabed is thought to conceal potentially lucrative deposits ofnatural gas.