March 28, 2012
No. 066
The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology announced March 27 the results of a review of the country’s latest edition of textbooks to be used by secondary school students in the spring term. These textbooks, including “Geography A,” “Geography B,” “Political Economy,” and “Modern Society,” all carry wording to the effect that “the Diaoyutai Islands are the inherent territory of Japan.” The Republic of China Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains extremely concerned about the Japanese move and has instructed its representative office in Japan to lodge a protest to the Japanese government, strongly reiterating its consistent stance that sovereignty over the Diaoyutai Islands belongs to the ROC.
The ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirms that the Diaoyutai Islands are the inherent territory of the ROC, being under the jurisdiction of Daxi Village in Toucheng Township of Yilan County. The ROC government once again calls on the Japanese side to act rationally, peaceably, and prudently concerning the Diaoyutai Islands issue, and not to unilaterally put false information concerning the Diaoyutai Islands’ sovereignty in Japanese textbooks in order to avoid harming friendly Taiwan-Japan relations.（E）