Japan’s Takaichi steps back from Liancourt Rocks pledge in sign of softer line on South Korea

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will not send a cabinet minister to an annual ceremony calling for the return of the Liancourt Rocks – known as Takeshima in Japan and Dokdo in South Korea – stepping back from an earlier pledge and signalling a softer touch towards Seoul.Analysts say the decision not to dispatch a senior minister to the event reflects a pragmatic effort to steady Japan-South Korea ties, even if it leaves some of her most conservative supporters “very disappointed”.Takeshima Day has been marked since 2005 in Shimane, southern Japan, on February 22, commemorating the date in 1905 when the disputed islets – consisting of two small islands and surrounding rocks in the East Sea – were placed under the jurisdiction of the prefectural government.Since Japan’s defeat in 1945, the islets have been controlled by South Korea.At last year’s event, Shimane Governor Tatsuya Maruyama called on the national government to be more proactive in diplomatic measures to resolve the dispute in Japan’s favour.Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Photo: TNSBefore she was elected leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, Takaichi also appeared to favour a more forceful approach to an issue that has long been a thorn in the side of bilateral relations.