"Will This Make It Japanese Territory?" Japanese Restaurant Puts Rising Sun Flag on Dokdo-Shaped Rice

This product is sold at a restaurant in Shimane Prefecture, Japan, under the name "Takeshima Curry" (the name Japan claims for Dokdo). The rice is shaped like Dokdo, and a Japanese flag is placed on top.
[Photo by Sanin Chuo Shimpo]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] Shimane Prefecture in Japan is accelerating the development of products related to Dokdo. Products have even appeared that sell rice shaped like Dokdo with the Japanese flag stuck in it.

According to a recent report by Sanin Chuo Shimpo, Okinoshima Town in Shimane Prefecture decided to subsidize half of the expenses (up to 200,000 yen) for local companies that develop specialties related to Dokdo.

According to the newspaper, Shimane Prefecture, which arbitrarily places Dokdo within its basic administrative district Okinoshima Town, has designated February 22 every year as "Takeshima Day" (the name Japan claims for Dokdo).

Through this, they have held a commemorative event blatantly asserting sovereignty over Dokdo for 16 years, but considering the lack of rising interest, they have recently been focusing on developing related souvenirs.

The newspaper introduced that a restaurant in Shimane Prefecture released the so-called "Takeshima Curry," rice shaped like Dokdo with the Japanese flag stuck in it, and sake cups modeled after the Oki Islands.

Regarding this, Professor Seo Kyung-deok of Sungshin Women's University criticized on his operated platform "Seo Kyung-deok's Story of Promoting Korea," saying, "Does doing this make Dokdo Japanese territory? It's truly pathetic."

Professor Seo pointed out, "This action by Shimane Prefecture is a typical trick strategy to raise distorted awareness among Japanese citizens that Dokdo is their territory. Therefore, to counter this, we must develop more diverse Dokdo products combined with Korean cultural content and continuously promote them to the world."

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