Japan to unilaterally take Takeshima territorial dispute with South Korea to ICJ
Tokyo, Sept. 5 (ANI)
The Japanese Government is in the final stages of preparations to unilaterally take the Takeshima territorial dispute with South Korea to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), possibly by the end of the month, according to government sources.
The Foreign Ministry has already started the requisite procedures to submit the case to the U.N. court in The Hague, the sources said.
The development would likely lead to a strong reaction from Seoul and further strain deteriorating ties.
According to the Japan Times, the case is unlikely to be heard by the ICJ ecause court procedures require the consent of all parties involved in a sovereignty battle before deliberations can begin, and South Korea, which controls the disputed islands in the Sea of Japan, has repeatedly rejected such overtures by Japan.
The government apparently hopes that lodging a case on its own at the court, a rare move by Japan, will generate publicity and promote its territorial claim among the international community, the sources said.
They also want to act well ahead of South Korea's presidential election on Dec. 19 so the matter doesn't become a campaign issue, which could raise bilateral tensions even higher, the sources said.
Unlike Japan, South Korea continues to reject the principle of 'compulsory jurisdiction', under which other parties in a sovereignty rift are obliged to participate in proceedings if a case is filed with the ICJ, the report said.