Japan not to explore seabed near Dokdo: Tokyo official

By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- The Japanese government has no plan to conduct a
scientific survey in the waters surrounding Dokdo, a cluster of rocky islets in
the East Sea, in the coming years, a Japanese foreign ministry official said
Sunday, rebutting a recent media report.
The Yomiuri Shimbun, a mass circulation daily in Japan, said in a front-page
article last week that Tokyo has drafted a 10-year plan to conduct an aggressive
scientific survey in waters including those near Dokdo in search of oil, gas
hydrate and other energy resources.
Dodko has been a source of frequent contention between the neighboring nations,
despite growing economic and cultural exchanges. Tokyo has laid claim to the
islets in an apparent bid to turn them into disputed territory, while Seoul has
firmly maintained that Dokdo's ownership is not an issue of debate.
The waters surrounding Dokdo are popular with squid fishermen and the seabed is
believed to hold huge gas hydrate deposits.
"The map drawn up by the Japanese newspaper is incorrect. It is not based on a
Japanese government document," Yasuhisa Kawamura, deputy press secretary at
Japan's foreign ministry said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency. He arrived
here earlier in the day, accompanying Prime Minister Taro Aso, who will have a
summit with President Lee Myung-bak on Monday. It would mark a continuation of
"shuttle summit diplomacy" between the two countries following Lee's trip to
Tokyo in April last year.
"The Resources and Energy Agency is planing to draft a new research project
before the next fiscal year starting in March. But as far as we understand the
plan doesn't include ... doesn't cover the area of the disputed Takeshima
island," he said. Japan calls Dokdo as Takeshima.
The official said that the Dokdo issue is unlikely to be discussed at the summit,
pointing out it is largely aimed at cementing future-oriented ties between the
two sides.
"The leaders can talk about any issue if they wish to, as the shuttle summit is
to be frank and candid," he said. "Everybody thinks that Takeshima may not be the
main item, although we can't deny the possibilities."
Kawamura said the leaders will spell out a broader picture of how Seoul and Tokyo
can make joint efforts to help post-war Afghanistan.
Lee and Aso agreed in their latest meeting in December to examine the possibility
of cooperating in extending assistance to Afghanistan.
"At the upcoming summit, the leaders will exchange views regarding the subsequent
deliberation made on the issue," he said. "They will also exchange views on the
current state of the six-party talks (on the North Korean nuclear program).
Following that, they will confirm their intention to continue close cooperation
bilaterally and trilaterally with the United States."
He said that South Korea-Japan ties are on the thresholds of a new phase, citing
the ongoing trip by about 20 Japanese business leaders along with the prime
minister. They include top executives Toyota Motor Corp, Canon, and Nippon Steel.
"This is further proof that Japan-South Korea relations are entering a new phase,
which will involve all parts of activities," the official said, adding the
business leaders will have a roundtable meeting with their South Korean
counterparts.
He said Aso will ask Lee to make a reciprocal trip later this year to continue
such a biannual shuttle summit.
The leaders will have a joint press conference to brief the results of their
summit, instead of issuing a joint statement, he said.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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