Japanese Research Institute Releases Video Testimony Claiming Fishing Activities on Dokdo Before 1905... In Context of Sovereignty Claims

Japanese Native Granddaughter Testifies "Grandfather Caught Sea Lions on Dokdo"
Research Institute Plans to Produce Videos with English and Korean Subtitles in the Future

Screenshot of the video claiming fishing operations near Dokdo, released on the 26th by the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA)

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] The Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA), a Japanese think tank specializing in diplomacy and security, claimed that Japanese fishermen operated near Dokdo even before it was incorporated into Shimane Prefecture in 1905, and released a video containing related testimonies on YouTube on the 26th.

The institute stated on its website that day, "Since 2018, we have been investigating the actual state of fishing around Takeshima (the name Japan claims for Dokdo)." The institute added, "In recent years, memories of Takeshima have been fading, and there is a high possibility that these memories will disappear altogether, so we started a project to film related testimonies and release videos."

The video released by the institute features Jun Sasaki (87, female), who testifies that her grandfather fished around Dokdo. The video was filmed on July 6 last year. Sasaki, who lives in Okinoshima Town, Shimane Prefecture, testified that in her childhood, her grandfather, Matsutaro Ishibashi, hunted sea lions on Dokdo and collected abalone.

In the video description, the institute introduced Ishibashi as a "pioneer of sea lion hunting on Dokdo," explaining, "Matsutaro Ishibashi withdrew from sea lion hunting on Dokdo in the late Meiji era," and added, "Through Sasaki's testimony, we can understand the actual state of fishing around Takeshima before its incorporation into Shimane Prefecture in 1905."

The institute announced plans to film testimonies from about five people related to Dokdo, mainly in Okinoshima Town, Shimane Prefecture, and sequentially release the videos on YouTube. They also stated, "We plan to produce videos with foreign language subtitles such as English and Korean in the future." The institute added, "We expect that these videos will be utilized in school education and other areas, thereby passing on the memories of Dokdo to the next generation."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.