The Seoul government has protested a Japanese prefecture’s latest claims to the Korean islets of Dokdo in the East Sea and urged it to stop holding an annual event promoting the territorial claim.

In a statement issued Friday, the Foreign Ministry said it strongly protests the event hosted by Japan’s Shimane Prefecture as well as the attendance of a senior central government official. The statement added that Tokyo continues to unjustly claim the Dokdo islets as its own.

The ministry urged Japan to scrap the so-called Takeshima Day event, cease all provocations related to the islets and humbly face up to history. Takeshima is the Japanese name for Dokdo. 

The statement reiterated that Dokdo is clearly Korean territory "historically, geographically and under international law."

Earlier Friday, the Shimane Prefecture held the 14th annual Takeshima Day event and parliamentary vice-minister of the Cabinet Office Hiroshi Ando attended the ceremony. 

In 1905, the prefecture unilaterally declared that it would include Dokdo in its administrative district. It designated February 22nd as Takeshima Day in 2005.