Take a look at the Yokoso logo on our t-shirt design We made it to closely resemble the second version of the Yokoso japan logo (close enough without violating copyrights -hee hee), with the pronunciation mark for those damm foreigners who can’t pronounce YOKO ONO.

The fingerprint in the shape of the hinomaru, so from a distance it looks like a typical tourist shirt connected to the campaign, but closer up…. campaign of TERROR! ….cheeky monkey, a finger print (or toe print in this case).

Thats why Corea has a “K” can’t have the before us in the alphabet!!

dont forget these issues are very valid for people inhabiting these areas..you imagine the strife with visas, passports, births and marriages , taxation, litigation etc that arise when sovereignty is unclear!
even timezones might be involved (havent checked)

On another note, Jcp, thank you for your qualifications of what you said. Always good to have some discussion, even when it’s a little heated (as long as we can all learn something hey!) To tell you the truth, I didnt think this article would bring on so much discussion! I am looking forward to hearing more from you, and “Dokdo” on other posts too!

Ha Ha, you funny.
You make up numbers and then dare me to prove them! I avoided responding, because really, what’s the point? I did not intend to flame you and I apologize that I was rude.

Your error is actually more than one, but I will explain since if anyone is still reading these comments they might like a different opinion regarding the complex nature of international disputes.

First, you refer to the “Habomai Rocks” as an island. This is actually an archipelago (群島 ぐんとう), or island group. In English it is often simplified as “island”, but Japanese people would wonder at you for being so pedantic and yet imprecise. Especially if you were to phrase the conversation the way you suggested.

Second error is that you don’t seem to understand the core issue. The Japanese government refers to the entire group as the “Northern Territories” since the name is the essence of the dispute. Treaties prior to the Treaty of San Francicso refer to the Kuril Islands, but only in reference to the northern, undisputed islands. There are other sources that include two of the islands but exclude the smaller eastern islands. Japan has held that since the treaty of San Francisco does not specify, and prior treaties exclude all the disputed islands, and Japan has always held these islands, they are therefore Japanese territory. Stalin took the position that “Kuril Islands” *could* include the disputed islands, and besides Japan lost the war and should be punished.

Japanese Government could call them by their individual names, which I think would make you happy but it would make for large placards during protests and the right wingers would have to drive even slower so that everyone could hear their complaints. Regardless, calling them by name would either antagonize disputants, or cede linguistic ground. I suspect that “Northern territories” was chosen since it is neutral, accurate, and concise.

Why do you assume Japan is wrong and Stalin’s Soviet Union was correct when they took control of this territory? In 1945 Japan was a defeated and weak country; in the decades since Japan has risen to become a strong, wealthy country, yet all this time it has been a peace loving player on the world stage. Always a loyal and obedient ally of the US in its struggle to insure peace and freedom. Japan does not deserve your enmity.

Many people in Japan feel mistreated in the appraisal of the war and in the common view of Japan’s conduct. But that battle appears lost to us. Maybe in the future historians will look back and recognize that Japan was trying to protect its sovereignty by playing the game according to European rules before it disappeared the way so many sovereign nations disappeared to European colonization in the 18th and 19th centuries. I am not saying Japan was not guilty. I am saying that it was of course guilty of many war crimes but we have to keep it in perspective and context.

Of course, this is not important to our daily lives since Japan has achieved it’s goal of security and freedom to trade with others on an equal basis through its defeat and subsequent alliance with USA. But this *is* important to the souls of all Japanese living and dead.

These territory disputes mean more than fishing reserves (or even natural gas.) No other country had to cede territory after losing WWII, yet you seem to agree with Stalin’s belief that Japan should. (and yes, unlike the dispute of the Dokdo Islands, or the Senkaku Islands, this dispute is over whether Japan was to cede territory as punishment for losing the war.)

I think you are the one who has been fed propaganda without question. maybe in future you will question when someone tells you that “person x” is wrong and ask why would they say that? why would “x” feel so strongly? what are true facts (from primary sources, not wikipedia.)

You use the name “Dokdo”, so maybe you are Korean? If so I wonder how you feel about the territory north of the Yalu river? Or maybe you come from another country but I could probably name a historical wrong that is sensitive subject for you as well.

Best Regards, -jcp-

Satelite photo of Habomai.

But I thank you for bringing attention to our problem. Russians were very sneaky at WWII end to steal our islands. As you see from map at bottom of Japanese government page the Hoppo Ryodo really extend all the way to Kamuchakka.

This is the best picture that I could find of the Habomai Rocks:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ja/8/8d/Habomai-shoto_Islands.JPG

It appears that they really are rocks, covered mostly during high tide.

Mr. Anonymous:
Thanks for reporting back hey! And thanks for the “neta” for this story! We would be pleased to write about anything similar in future - just let us know!