Japan tells S. Korea no decision to state ownership of disputed isle

May 26 11:20 PM US/Eastern

TOKYO, May 27 (AP) - (Kyodo) — Japan has told South Korea that it has not decided to state in an educational document that a South Korean-controlled rocky islet chain in the Sea of Japan, called Takeshima in Japan and Dokdo in South Korea, is an "integral part of Japan," the government said in a position paper released Tuesday.

In response to an inquiry from South Korea over the matter, Japan has replied that it has not decided yet on the content of descriptions in the document, the paper said.

The Cabinet of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda issued the position paper in response to a question from Muneo Suzuki, a House of Representatives member who heads a small political party, the New Party Daichi.

Earlier this month, Japanese government sources said the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology plans to state in the educational document that Takeshima is an integral part of Japan.

The document will supplement Japan's new educational guidelines for social studies at junior high schools from the 2012 school year starting in April that year. Such documents, to be compiled for each subject in junior high school, are nonbinding and serve as guidance for teachers and textbook publishers.

South Korea was swift to react to the renewed Japanese claim on the islet chain and demanded that the Japanese government withdraw the plan immediately.

On May 19, South Korean Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Yu Myung Hwan summoned Japanese Ambassador Toshinori Shigeie to present the demand, acting on instructions from President Lee Myung Bak.

In Tokyo, South Korean Ambassador to Japan Kwon Chul Hyun expressed strong regret in a meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura.

Japan's vice minister of education, Masami Zeniya, said earlier, "The matter is currently on the table, and I can't say clearly now" if the education ministry has decided to state ownership in the document.

Japan insists that Takeshima, which consists of two small uninhabited islets and numerous reefs with a total space of 230,000 square meters, is part of Shimane Prefecture, while South Korea claims the islands are part of North Gyeongsang Province.