As the Shimane Prefectural Government held its 10th annual Takeshima Day ceremony Sunday, an Abe government representative promised to find a peaceful resolution to a territorial dispute over the South Korea-controlled and Japan-claimed islets.

Police tightly guarded the compound where the ceremony was being held. About 500 people attended the event as Japanese right-wingers and South Korean activists staged separate demonstrations outside.

Also Sunday, about 50 South Korean protesters held a rally in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul. The protesters called on Tokyo to extend apologies and compensation to former "comfort women" who were forced to work at wartime Japanese military brothels.