On August 3, Japan lodged a protest against South Korea after its navy conducted annual military exercises near the disputed islands in the Sea of Japan. The move comes amid unresolved territorial sovereignty tensions between the two nations.
According to Japanese sources, the South Korean drills took place that morning in waters near the island group, which Japan calls Takeshima and South Korea refers to as Dokdo. The area is currently controlled by South Korea, but Japan continues to claim sovereignty.
Upon receiving the information, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a protest note to South Korea, reiterating Tokyo's unchanging stance on sovereignty over the islands. Japan has previously expressed concerns over similar South Korean military activities in the region.
For its part, South Korea stated that the drills are annual military activities aimed at protecting sovereignty and testing defense capabilities, rejecting Japan's protest. Both countries continue to maintain dialogue channels to address their differences, but the sovereignty issue remains a major obstacle in bilateral relations.
