A government-sponsored exhibition highlighting Japanese sovereignty over islands with disputed claims by China and South Korea opened its doors Thursday, in the Municipal Research Building located in Tokyo.
While the exhibition is likely to draw praise from right-leaning politicians, the opening takes place at a delicate time for Japan's relations with South Korea, which have undergone see-sawing developments in recent weeks — the positive development of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's decision to visit South Korea for the Olympics, but also the re-emergence of the comfort women dispute.
The collection displays historical documents — including maps, letters and newspaper articles — highlighting the government's official position that the Senkaku Islands and Takeshima are inherent parts of Japanese territory. Accompanying the documents are supplementary explanations in both Japanese and English.