South Korea's Foreign Ministry summoned a high-ranking Japanese diplomat to protest Japan's claim to the easternmost islands of Dokdo in an annual defense policy report.
The ministry, according to the Korean Yonhap Agency, expressed its regret to the Deputy Chief of the Diplomatic Mission at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, "Hirohisa Soma" after Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi reported this year's defense report at the cabinet session led by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. .
Tokyo's claim came as the two countries were deliberating over the possibility of South Korean President Moon Jae-in attending the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics later in the month and holding talks with Suga to help address long-running differences over historical and commercial affairs.
Tokyo has repeated the allegations made in the annual report for the 17th consecutive year, negatively affecting regional cooperation ahead of the Summer Olympics scheduled to be held from July 23 to August 8.
Regional tensions have already re-emerged due to the inclusion of the Dokdo islands in the Tokyo Olympics torch relay map, prompting calls in South Korea to boycott the Tokyo Olympics.
South Korea currently controls Dokdo, where a small police force has been stationed, since its liberation from the Japanese.
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