Japan’s Plan for Survey Near Disputed Isles Riles S. Korea
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TOKYO — Japanese survey ships waited for the order to go ahead with the planned mapping of an area near disputed islands today, as South Korea summoned the Japanese ambassador to protest the project.
The two ships left port Wednesday but have been lingering offshore, Japanese coast guard official Masayuki Fujita said.
South Korea has strongly protested the planned mapping near rocky outcroppings held by Seoul but claimed by Tokyo. South Korea, once colonized by Japan, resents any Japanese moves suggesting that the islets still belong to it. The island chain is known as Tokto in Korean and Takeshima in Japanese.
Seoul has dispatched about 20 patrol boats to guard the islands, which are surrounded by rich fishing waters.
Fujita said there were no plans to call in military vessels to guard the unarmed ships.
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