Research among Japanese academia on South Korea’s easternmost islets of Dokdo is increasingly leaning toward dismissing Japan’s territorial claims over the islets.

The most representative document that repudiates Japan’s territorial claim dates back to 1877 and was revealed by Kyoto University Professor Hori Kazuo in 1987.

The document was issued by the Japanese Council of State, which was the top government administrative body between 1868 and 1885. The Council of State was renamed as the Cabinet Office.

In the document, the Council of State ordered the Shimane Prefecture to keep in mind that Dokdo and Ulleung Island do not concern Japan. The document proves that Japan did not consider Dokdo or Ulleung as its territory up until 1877.

The document faced protest by some Japanese who claimed that the island mentioned in the document was not referring to Dokdo. However, a map that an attached map shows that the mentioned islets are in fact Dokdo.