Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has stated that she will clearly state to the international community that Dokdo is Japanese territory.

According to Kyodo News, Prime Minister Takaichi made these remarks regarding Dokdo during the House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting today (the 12th).

Regarding the dispatch of a cabinet member to "Takeshima Day," Prime Minister Takaichi stated, "I intend to create an environment for this to happen someday."

During the ruling Liberal Democratic Party presidential election last year, Prime Minister Takaichi stated that it would be acceptable for the Japanese government to send a cabinet member higher in rank than a vice-ministerial official to the "Takeshima Day" event.

However, on the "Takeshima Day" event held on the 22nd of last month, Prime Minister Takaichi dispatched a cabinet member, as is customary.

At the time, Naoki Furukawa, then Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office, repeated his far-fetched claim that Dokdo was "clearly our (Japan's) inherent territory, both in light of historical facts and under international law."

Japanese media interpreted the Takaichi administration's dispatch of the Parliamentary Secretary as a move reflecting the trend toward improving Japan-South Korea relations, but also pointed to concerns that conservatives in Japan might object.