Recommendations of theAdvisory Panel on Communications Concerning Territorial Integrity

For Practical Initiatives to Strengthen Communication
Based on Changes in the Domestic and Overseas Environment

Advisory Panel on Communications Concerning Territorial Integrity
July 29, 2019

Table of Contents

Ⅰ Recommendations

Ⅱ

3

Reviews by the Advisory Panel
1

Background and Development of Events

8

2

Needs and Objectives of Holding this Session of the Advisory Panel

11

3

Reviews in the Respective Policy Areas

4(1) Overseas Communications

13(2) Domestic Awareness16(3) National Museum of Territory and Sovereignty

19(4) Material Research

23

Integrative Promotion of Measures in the Respective Policy Areas

27

Reference
Members of the Advisory Panel on Communications Concerning Territorial Integrity
28
Meetings of the Advisory Panel on Communications Concerning Territorial Integrity
29

2

Ⅰ Recommendations
1

Background and Challenges Related to the Initiatives on Domestic and Overseas
Communications Concerning Territorial Integrity
Since the first appointment of a Minister in charge of Territorial Issues in December 2012,
the Government of Japan has been taking initiatives to strengthen domestic and overseas
communications concerning territorial integrity with regard to Takeshima and the Senkaku
Islands, in addition to the Northern Territories, which was already being addressed under across-governmental framework. In July 2013 and June 2015, the Advisory Panel submitted
a report and recommendations on such initiatives to the Minister in charge of Territorial
Issues. Taking into consideration the direction of policies suggested in these documents, theGovernment has taken measures related to overseas communications, domestic awarenessand material research. In January 2018, the National Museum of Territory and Sovereignty
was established as an institutional hub for public communication, both domestically andinternationally. This Museum is scheduled to be expanded and relocated in this fiscal year.
Furthermore, the Government has also been engaged in various activities, including
protesting against Russia, China, and the Republic of Korea (hereinafter, Korea), revising
the educational curriculum guidelines, and sending governmental representatives to theevents organized by Shimane Prefecture and Ishigaki City, among others.
Meanwhile the illegal occupation of the Northern Territories and Takeshima is still ongoing,
and incidents such as military exercises by Russia and Korea have occurred recently.
Furthermore, Chinese Coast Guard vessels have repeatedly approached and invaded Japan’s
territorial waters surrounding the Senkaku Islands. As these phenomena demonstrate,
Japan’s territory and sovereignty continue to be infringed upon and threatened, and there
seems to be no change to this situation.

2

This Session of the Advisory Panel Meeting
Based on the recognition of the above, this Advisory Panel was convened under the auspicesof Mitsuhiro Miyakoshi, Minister in charge of Territorial Issues. Meetings were held from
May to July 2019, to discuss domestic and overseas communications concerning territorial
integrity. In these meetings, the Panel carefully examined the Government’s measures, andconsidered the future direction of policies.

3

Recommendations
Whereas the Advisory Panel appreciated the abovementioned initiatives for their pastachievements to a certain degree, the Panel has reached the conclusion that it is necessary to
drastically improve and expand communication qualitatively and quantitatively. With thisaim, the Panel issues the following recommendations.

3(1) Overall Matters(i)Integrated efforts in collaboration and cooperation with the relevant organizations
The Government should communicate, collaborate and cooperate closely, both internally,
across governmental organizations, as well as externally, with local governmental offices,
relevant research institutes, and other entities to enhance the effectiveness of measuresfor domestic and overseas communications concerning territorial integrity, and enable
more integrated efforts.

(ii) Importance of domestic interest and awareness

The Government should place particular emphasis on enhancing domestic awareness inorder to improve the quality and quantity of domestic and overseas communications. In
so doing, the Government should effectively achieve a virtuous cycle of creating more
opportunities for researchers to publicize their work, energizing research activities andimproving their quality, and increasing the number of researchers.
(iii) Analysis of claims and communication methods by China and Korea

The Government should analyze the claims and communication methods of China andKorea, and consider more effective forms of communication with the public andinformation dissemination.
(2) Overseas Communications(iv) Development of relationship and strategic communication with experts in third-

party countries
When communicating Japan’s claims to experts in third-party countries (target
audiences), the Government should practice strategic communication by reaching ashared understanding through interactive communication with the target audiences,rather than engaging in one-sided propaganda. To this end, the Government should
develop a collaborative and cooperative relationship urgently with overseas experts, andimplement communication projects using more effective and well-considered methods
and formats.
(v) Enhancing communication in English to experts in third-party countries

The Government should enhance efforts to disseminate, in English, materials thatprovide grounds for Japan’s territorial claims, thereby enabling experts in third-party
countries to deepen their understanding on Japan’s position and refer to said materials.
(vi) Need to take into consideration the differences between Takeshima and the Senkaku

4Islands, and make counterarguments to the claims by China and Korea
The Government should adopt effective means of overseas communication by taking
into account not only the existence or absence of territorial issues on Takeshima and the
Senkaku Islands, but also the significant differences between the two in the nature of theissues, circumstances in the surrounding areas, as well as interest by third-party countries.
Furthermore, in order to enhance the persuasiveness of Japan’s claims, the Government
should counter the claims by China and Korea more effectively.
(3) Domestic Awareness(vii) Support for teachers by providing training, teaching materials, and other efforts

The Government should enhance support for the training of teachers, provision ofteaching materials, and other efforts, in response to the revisions to the educational
curriculum guidelines, which call for the further enhancement of curricula on territorial
affairs in primary and secondary education. In university as well, the Government should
provide support to enable faculty to obtain research materials concerning territorial
integrity.
(viii)

Teaching practices for territorial affairs
When teaching territorial affairs, teachers should take care to avoid giving the impressionof just pushing Japan’s claims on the students, or inadvertently fostering a sense of
dislike for China and Korea. To that end, the teaching at school classes is expected toenable pupils and students to gain an accurate understanding of Japan’s stated position,and to analyze the differences between the positions of Japan and the other countries bycomparing them, putting this subject in a broader perspective that includes various
viewpoints such as history and international law.

(ix) Importance of raising awareness among the generation in their 20s and 30s

The Government should take more measures to raise awareness among the generation in
their 20s and 30s, who show a relatively low interest in the matters concerning territorial
integrity.
(4) National Museum of Territory and Sovereignty(x) Attachment of hub and archive functions

As with the National Museum of Territory and Sovereignty, the Government should add
a hub function, besides an exhibition function, to promote collaboration among therelevant organizations across Japan, as well as an archive function to enhance5convenience in browsing materials.
(xi) Coordination with the website

In the museum, which serves as an institutional hub for domestic and overseas
communications to the public, the Government should make information available inmultiple languages, guide users to higher-level information through the website, andensure good coordination, so as to maximize the synergy between the virtual and thephysical museum.
(xii) Utilization of the latest technologies and new exhibits to ensure continued appeal

The Government should utilize the latest technologies and other means to ensure thatmuseum exhibits provide visitors with attractive experiences, and change exhibits
periodically to maintain the museum’s appeal. Furthermore, the Government should
develop an organizational system specifically for these goals.
(5) Material Research
Utilization of the collected materials for general, educational and academic
purposes(xiii)The materials collected by the research projects commissioned by the Government
should be made available for general, educational and academic purposes through theMuseum and the Internet with explanations attached and in a way that is easy tounderstand.
Need for analysis of the claims by China and Korea, selective material collection,conservation and administration of the originals of materials, and promotion ofresearch and studies(xiv)

With regard to the research projects commissioned by the Government, which have been
productive to a certain degree, materials should be collected in a more focused andselective manner to more effectively contribute to structuring and communicating
Japan’s claims, while analyzing China’s and Korea’s claims and their grounds. Careshould also be taken for the conservation and administration of the originals of thematerials whose copies have been collected. Furthermore, the Government should put inplace appropriate measures to enhance domestic research and studies in the medium- tolong-term, including nurturing researchers.
(6) Follow-up(xv)

Third-party evaluation of the reflection of these recommendations in the6Government’s measures and their effectiveness
The Government should have a third-party body such as this Advisory Panel evaluate
the extent to which these recommendations are practiced in actual measures of theGovernment and how effective they are, and ensure that new measures can be
implemented as a reflection of the results of the evaluation.

7

Ⅱ

Reviews by the Advisory Panel

1

Background and Development of Events(1) Appointment of Minister in charge of Territorial Issues, and Establishment of the Office of
Policy Planning and Coordination on Territory and Sovereignty (hereinafter, the Territory
Office)With regard to awareness-raising and other related-matters, the Government has beentackling this for many years with the Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories
Affairs, as far as the Northern Territories issue is concerned. Similarly, with Takeshima andthe Senkaku Islands, the new post of Minister in charge of Territorial Issues was establishedin December 2012, as was the Territory Office, in February 2013, within the Cabinet
Secretariat, to be responsible for planning and policymaking, as well as comprehensive
governmental coordination, in relation to domestic and overseas communication to the
public.
(2) Meetings of the Advisory Panel and the Submission of the Report and Recommendations
Soon after the establishment of the Territory Office, the Advisory Panel on Communications
Concerning Territorial Integrity (hereinafter, Advisory Panel) was convened under theleadership of the Minister in charge of Territorial Issues. The Advisory Panel submitted to
the Minister and made public a report in July 2013, and then recommendations in June 2015,
which summarize the implementation status of the report and the need for further measures
to be taken.
The 2013 report sets out strong expectations for the creation of a nation-wide system fordomestic and overseas communications concerning Japan’s territorial integrity, and suggests,
as the methods to achieve that goal, concepts and ideas of measures aimed at strengthening
domestic and overseas communications on Japan’s positions with regard to Takeshima andthe Senkaku Islands. Placing emphasis on overseas communications, the report points out
the need to enhance communication in English to third-party audiences (countries apart from
China and Korea), and the need to communicate relevant contents by effective means, while
proposing the direction of measures to be taken and effective forms of communication alongwith specific lines of messaging for Takeshima and the Senkaku Islands.
The 2015 recommendations complement the 2013 report in the area of overseas
communications with proposals on means of strengthening multilayered communication
through non-governmental experts and others; and call for further measures in the areas ofdomestic awareness and material research by emphasizing the importance of conducting
public opinion polls, strengthening collaboration with school education, developing teachingmaterials, disseminating the advanced practices by Shimane Prefecture among others,

8studying and preserving historical materials, and nurturing researchers.
(3) Implementation of Various Measures for Issues Concerning Territorial Integrity
Based on the contents of the report and recommendations, the Government, local
governments, and relevant organizations have been advancing the following initiatives to
date.
(i)

Within the Government, the Interagency Coordination Group on Communications
Concerning Territorial Integrity was established in November 2013 under the leadershipof the Minister in charge of Territorial Issues to engage in comprehensive coordination
for issues related to domestic and overseas communications concerning territorial
integrity. The Interagency Coordination Group brings together the Minister in charge ofTerritorial Issues and the Territory Office, as well as high-ranking officials from the
Cabinet Secretariat (Cabinet Public Relations Office, Office of Global
Communications), the Cabinet Office (Public Relations Office, Northern Territories
Affairs Administration), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education,
Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport
and Tourism, the Japan Coast Guard, and the Ministry of Defense, serving as amechanism for information-sharing and comprehensive coordination on moves by the
related countries and initiatives by the respective ministries and agencies on mattersrelated to territorial integrity.
Under this collaborative mechanism, the relevant ministries and agencies have engaged
in various measures, including sharing information on a daily basis regarding various
controls and regulations near the border and protests against the related countries,
promoting territorial education through the revision of curriculum guidelines and otherefforts, and standardizing geographic names in foreign languages.

(ii) From the perspective of promoting nationwide initiatives that include the local
governments, in the case of the Northern Territories, the Northern Territories Affairs
Administration under the Cabinet Office has long campaigned for their return, with thedevelopment of an institutional framework including relevant organizations and theprefectural governments. In contrast, with regard to initiatives on the issue of Takeshima
and the Senkaku Islands, which lack nation-wide organizations, effort has been made tostrengthen collaboration and cooperation by means such as sending government
representatives to the events of local governments, and organizing temporary panel
exhibits at various local events.
In the area of academic research, the Japan Information Center was established in 2017
in the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA), subsidized by the Ministry of9Foreign Affairs, which contributed to strengthening institutional systems forcommunication at the expert level and promotion of research.
(iii) With the abovementioned collaboration between the Government and the relevantorganizations, the Territory Office has implemented various measures that would not beeasy for an individual ministry or agency, in the areas of overseas communications,domestic awareness, and further, material research that forms the basis forcommunications. (For details, see “3. Reviews in the Respective Policy Areas.”)In 2018, the National Museum of Territory and Sovereignty opened in Tokyo, as a step
toward the development of an institutional hub for domestic and overseas
communications. This Museum is scheduled to be relocated with significant expansion
in the fiscal year of 2019.

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2

Needs and Objectives of Holding this Session of the Advisory Panel
For more than six years since the establishment of the Territory Office, tireless efforts havebeen made with the abovementioned initiatives. Nevertheless, the reality of the situations
surrounding Japan offer no indication that the territorial issues have come closer to any
solution. To name but a few recent incidents, Russia’s implementation of military exercises
and announcement of development plans in the Northern Territories, the landing on
Takeshima by members of the Korean National Assembly, military exercises conducted by
Korea, unauthorized investigative activities by foreign oceanographic research vessels inJapan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and repeated invasion in the territorial water by
Chinese Coast Guard vessels around the Senkaku Islands have been observed. None of thesecan be overlooked by any means, and they indicate the increasing severity of the situation.
Given such circumstances, it is an urgent challenge to strengthen initiatives on domestic andoverseas communications concerning territorial integrity in any way to improve their quality
and enable more effective communications. Until now, while the establishment of the
Territory Office has provided, to some extent, the framework for implementing various
initiatives, in order to dramatically improve the effectiveness of these initiatives, it isnecessary to combine a wide range of measures as effectively as possible. In particular, torealize highly effective communication to overseas audiences, there is a need to makecommunication more active than ever among the relevant parties, including the Government,
local governments, and research institutes, as well as to enhance the cohesiveness of theinitiatives. Furthermore, there is also a need to create a cycle of raising domestic interest andawareness in Japan, increasing the number of researchers, improving the quality and quantityof research, and conveying better quality information at multiple levels. It is important toconsider overseas communications in connection with raising domestic awareness.
Based on this recognition of the issues, the Advisory Panel was convened under theleadership of Mitsuhiro Miyakoshi, Minister in charge of Territorial Issues, bearing thefollowing broad purposes in mind.
[Three purposes]
・ To evaluate the results of the projects for communication and awareness, including the
opening of the Museum.
・ To consider new directions for the measures, putting into perspective the significant
changes in the domestic and overseas environments, such as the increasing severity inthe international situation including moves by the neighboring countries, anddomestically, the enhancement of descriptive accounts on territorial integrity in the new
curriculum guidelines.
・ Particularly bearing in mind the expanded relocation of the Museum planned in the11fiscal year of 2019, to consider the approaches to raising awareness and communications
by utilizing the Museum.
To address the above objectives, this Advisory Panel reflected on the existing initiatives forthe key areas of measures that the Territory Office has been dealing with: (1) Overseas
communications; (2) Domestic awareness; (3) National Museum of Territory andSovereignty; and (4) Material research, as well as analyzed the current status of the initiatives,and at the same time, discussed integrated measures for the promotion of domestic andoverseas communications concerning territorial integrity.

12

3

Reviews in the Respective Policy Areas(1) Overseas Communications
A.

Initiatives to date

For the purpose of strengthening the communication of information concerning territorial
integrity to overseas parties, the Territory Office has organized events such as seminars inforeign countries, and published English translations of Japanese academic papers on thewebsite, mainly in pursuit of communicating in English to experts in third-party countries,
namely the United States and countries in Europe and Asia, by using the schemes of the
Cabinet Office’s Public Relations Office.
The communication projects in foreign countries include, for the United States, the dispatchof Japanese experts to graduate schools and other institutes to organize workshops forstudents as well as panel discussions and roundtables for professors and experts; and forEurope and Asia, holding seminars co-organized by domestic and overseas research
institutes. All these projects take the approach of listening to the voices of experts in othercountries and spreading common understanding through two-way dialogue, not the oneway sending of information.
Furthermore, to make up for the lack of information in foreign languages concerning
academic arguments and materials that serve as evidence for Japan’s territorial claims,
Japanese academic papers considered to be appropriate have been translated into English
and made public on the website.
B.

Analysis of the current status

While certain achievements can be observed through the continued implementation of theoverseas communications projects, such as the development of networks with foreign
experts and accumulation of project knowhow, the reality is that widespread understandingof Japan’s position is still far from being achieved.
With regard to the Senkaku Islands, it is relatively easy to explain Japan’s position under
the current international circumstances where the recognition of the threat of China incites
interest in the said islands. In contrast, in the case of Takeshima, the conflict is perceived
as an ordinary territorial issue between two countries, which hardly attracts attention; hence,
it is undeniably difficult to bring up the issue and explain Japan’s position.
With regard to the English translation of Japanese academic papers, as there are not somany existing Japanese-language academic papers for translation, this initiative has been
gradually drawing close to completion. Nonetheless, the amount of information conveyed
in English cannot be regarded as adequate.

13

C. Comments on the future direction of measuresa. Methods to implement highly effective projects for communication(i) Taking the approach of one-way scattering of propaganda overseas, as done by China

and Korea, is counterproductive. Japan should strengthen communications by taking
an approach of sharing the interests and viewpoints of others, and engaging in strategic
and two-way communication at various levels, including researchers in a wide rangeof relevant disciplines.
(ii) To implement effective communications activities overseas, there is a need to take timeto understand the interests of local audiences and the extent of their knowledge, anddevelop attractive content. In general, the level of interest in the territorial claims ofother countries is low. There may be a case where a meeting of longer discussion
among a smaller number of participants is more effective than larger-scale
symposiums, in order to raise the level of international interest and understanding inJapan’s territorial claims.
(iii) To deepen the cooperative relationship with overseas parties, it is important to maintaincontinued engagement rather than a one-time involvement.
b. Countering and responding to the claims of China and Korea(iv)

In foreign countries, Japan should emphasize the dissemination of its claims using
content and methods understandable to the international community. Moreover, in
addition to simply explaining Japan’s own position, it is necessary to reply to theclaims of China and Korea with effective and clear logic or counter them from a higher
or broader perspective.

(v) It is necessary to strengthen communication with China and Korea. In particular, thesharing of Japan’s views with researchers in China and Korea is expected to generate
diverse views among those in both countries, and discourage groundless arguments
through discussion.
c. Communication of academic papers and other information in English(vi) To strengthen overseas communications by Japanese researchers, it is not sufficient tojust rely on the existing publications. Rather, there is a need to author new papers foroverseas audiences. With regard to the Takeshima issue, which Japan has been
proposing to Korea to refer to the International Court of Justice, it may be advisable toorganize and compile Japan’s territorial claims, historical background, and legal
grounds.

14

d. Need to take into consideration differences in the circumstances of Takeshima and the
Senkaku Islands(vii)

For Takeshima and the Senkaku Islands, as there are significant differences in theissues that need to be addressed, circumstances in the surrounding areas, as well asinterest among third-party countries, Japan should communicate information
strategically while taking these characteristics into consideration.

e. Importance of raising awareness in Japan(viii)

Overseas and domestic communications are interrelated. Hence, in order to raise thequality and quantity of information concerning Japan’s territorial claims that isdisseminated overseas, it is necessary to increase the number of researchers in Japan
in such related disciplines as international law, international relations, and history,
and to promote research activities in these areas. To that end, it is necessary to raise
the level of awareness in Japan and increase the opportunities where researchers canplay a part.

(ix)

To draw domestic attention to and facilitate understanding on the importance ofcommunicating Japan’s territorial claims to overseas parties, it is suggested toindicate the possible loss that would be caused when the territory is threatened—
namely the area of the EEZ, fishery and mineral resources, etc. Nevertheless, it isnecessary to bear in mind that the preservation of territory naturally occurs, because
it is a matter of sovereignty.

15

(2) Domestic AwarenessA.

Initiatives to date

To strengthen domestic communications, the Territory Office focuses on collaboration withschool education, and conducts training seminars aimed at spreading knowledge andpromoting understanding of territorial integrity among social-studies teachers across Japan.
Measures have also been taken to raise awareness in the public by holding panel exhibits
and displaying posters.
The Office’s main initiative, in collaboration with school education, and in tandem withthe enhancement of descriptive accounts on territorial integrity in the curriculum guidelines
and other materials by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology(MEXT), is teachers’ seminars, held with the participation of the Supervisors in charge ofsocial studies on the Boards of Education of all the prefectures and major cities in Japan.
It also disseminated leading practices for primary and secondary education implemented
by Shimane Prefecture and other municipalities.
For the public, previous measures include panel exhibits held in conjunction with public
events organized by the Self-Defense Forces and the Japan Coast Guard, and the displayof posters at transport facilities such as stations and in trains to raise awareness. Alongsideother measures to strengthen public communication, the Museum was opened in January
2018.
B.

Analysis of the current status

In the new curriculum guidelines, descriptive accounts on territorial integrity have beenenhanced. From the following fiscal year, new textbooks authorized in accordance with the
new curriculum guidelines will be distributed to elementary schools, junior high schools,
and senior high schools successively. Against this background, training for school teachers
is necessary to ensure that they can teach matters of territory and sovereignty adequately
in classes. It is necessary to promote a thorough and widespread understanding of theobjectives of the territorial education so that it can be taught appropriately in the overall
curriculum. In addition, teaching materials to complement textbooks need to be developed.
The level of interest in territorial integrity among Japanese nationals is generally high,according to the opinion surveys by the Cabinet Office and other research. It is understoodthat there is demand for in-depth information provided through TV programs and othermedia, rather than just superficial information.
C. Comments on the future direction of measures
a. Approaches to school classes in territorial education

16

(i) In actual classes at school, offering only explanations on the grounds for Japan’s

territorial claims may be perceived as pushing a one-sided opinion, or may give rise toa sense of dislike for the other country. Hence, it may be appropriate to offer
explanations in comparison with the opposing claims of Korea and China. In suchsituations, it is important to enable teachers to obtain supplementary references andteaching materials to facilitate an accurate understanding of Japan’s position among
pupils and students, as well as to compare the grounds for the opposing claims of bothparties rather than simply showing both claims side by side, so as to encourage students
to consider the issues from a broader perspective and viewpoints such as history andinternational law.
b. Need for training teachers(ii) Since knowledge on international law and international relations is necessary to teachterritory and sovereignty, improving the degree of understanding among social-studies
teachers is imperative. For this reason, there is a need to enhance measures such as
seminars for teachers by the Territory Office.
c. Points to note regarding territorial education under the new curriculum guidelines(iii) Descriptive accounts concerning territory have been enhanced in the new curriculum

guidelines. Territorial education should be put into practice more firmly in the courseof the appropriate revision of textbooks.
(iv) There has been a criticism that the modern and contemporary eras come last in history

classes and is taken lightly. As those eras are the main part of the newly establishedsubject of general history, which is compulsory at senior high schools in the new
curriculum guidelines, sufficient attention should be paid to the teaching of territorial
integrity as part of that subject, based on the curriculum guidelines.
(v)

The new curriculum guidelines suggest improvements in school classes from theperspective of ‘independent, interactive, and in-depth learning.’ This perspective
should be applied to territorial education as well. The Takeshima Issue Research Groupof Shimane Prefecture has been taking the initiative in drawing up teaching methods
that contribute to such improvement.

(vi) Under thecurrent circumstances, whereby teachers have to cope with various
educational challenges, ensuring the appropriate implementation of the education on
territorial integrity poses a significant challenge.

d. Lifelong/advanced education(vii) Some are of the view that cross-national confrontation over territory is a source of17

wars, or that it is now no use thinking much of national borders. In making territorial
claims, we should consider the method of presentation to make universally appropriate
statements in the international community, as a part of Japan’s diplomatic policy
packages.
There is also a need for promoting territorial education at the university level. It would
be possible to provide research materials on territorial integrity and materials for raisingawareness, albeit with constraints due to the structure of faculties and departments, aswell as academic (university) freedom.

(viii)(ix) Surveys should be conducted to find out whether territorial education is included in

the teacher training courses at universities.
e. Trends in Korea(x)

In Korea, the territorial education on Takeshima begins in the lower school grades,
teaching hours are long, and the teaching materials are also extensive. Bearing this inmind, the territorial education on Takeshima needs to be advanced in the new
curriculum guidelines through the enrichment of teaching materials and training
workshops.

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(3) National Museum of Territory and Sovereignty
A.

Initiatives to date

In addition to the abovementioned measures for domestic and overseas communications,
the Territory Office opened the National Museum of Territory and Sovereignty in Hibiya,
Tokyo, in January 2018 for the development of an institution for domestic and overseas
communications. For one and a half years since its opening, the Museum has organizedspecial exhibits and lectures along with a permanent exhibit, and has welcomed
approximately ten thousand visitors. The Museum has also accumulated operational
knowhow while building collaborative relations with relevant organizations.
Currently with its small area of about one hundred square meters, its location underground,and no sign aboveground, the Museum is undeniably weak as a communication hub. For
this reason, Mitsuhiro Miyakoshi, Minister in charge of Territorial Issues, announced in
May this year that the Museum will be expanded and relocated to a space of about seven
hundred square meters on the first floor (including the mezzanine) in a building located in
Toranomon, Tokyo. With this, physical challenges such as the currently restrictive spaceand barely noticeable location will be rectified.
B.

Analysis of the current status

Apart from the abovementioned physical challenges, which are to be resolved by therelocation, the Museum has received many requests for improvement, including a lack ofdisplays about the Northern Territories, the limited number of displays that counter theclaims of China and Korea, and experiential displays of models and dioramas that cannot
be viewed on the Internet and in books. The new Museum is expected to exhibit content
that can meet such demands in the expanded space.
The demographics of the visitors to the Museum are biased towards middle-aged and seniormen, with fewer female and younger visitors. There have been many requests for theMuseum to extend its opening hours to weekends or night-times. For the new Museum,
besides the extension of the opening hours, organization of more events such as lecturesand special exhibits, collaboration with educational institutions to make it a destination forschool trips and social-studies field visits, and tie-ups with tours of the National Diet
Building are expected, among others.
Furthermore, with regard to the communication through the website, which is anticipatedto have a synergistic effect with the Museum, the current “Digital Museum” site on the
homepage of the Territory Office basically contains the same content as in the Museum.
For the new Museum, it is expected that the physical Museum and the website will be
operated in an integrated manner, that they will offer content in a way that makes the most19

of their respective characteristics, and that the website will have a synergistic effect,
whereby it provides more in-depth information on the content that visitors haveencountered and taken an interest in at the physical Museum.

C. Comments on the future direction of measures
a. Northern Territories(i) At the new Museum, it is vital to have exhibits about the Northern Territories. Without

such exhibits, visitors may mistakenly come to believe that importance is not being
placed on the Northern Territories issue, thereby possibly sending the wrong message
to the public. The new Museum should properly convey Japan’s claims and views on
the Northern Territories.
b. Functions that the Museum should fulfill(ii) There is a need for the Museum to offer appealing contents to attract many visitors. For

this, the new Museum needs toa)fulfill a hub function, facilitating access to various references;b)utilize digital/IT technology, such as virtual reality (VR) to exhibit displays thatenable visitors to experience the life in the local community at the time, by,taking the Senkaku Islands as an example, reproducing the scenery of harbors
and dried bonito factories in the pre-war era;c)and function as an archive, where regular members of the public, as well as
researchers and journalists, especially overseas researchers and journalists
residing in Tokyo, can view materials in English and deepen their knowledge.
c. Concepts and ideas for attractive exhibits(iii) There should be exhibits that visitors can experience with their five senses, which thecurrent Museum does not have. It may be possible to attract interest in the islands byshowing not only the “present,” that is, the issue of territorial rights, but also the “past,”
or in short, the relationship between the Japanese people and the islands, in terms ofindustries, nature and natural monuments, among others.
(iv) For the Senkaku Islands, one idea could be an exhibit to visualize, with an animation orVR, how a Chinese envoy traveled from Fuzhou to Ryukyu, on a vessel navigated by
Ryukyu seamen, using the Senkaku Islands as landmarks.
(v)

It would be easier to understand the history of the incorporation of the Senkaku Islands
into Japan when paired with the history of the Ryukyu dynasty, which had been in power

20

until being replaced by Okinawa Prefecture in the Meiji era. Hence, there should be an
exhibit that explains Ryukyu’s history simply, in a manner that children can understand.
d. Means of maintaining and ensuring the appeal of Museum contents(vi) The Museum needs to offer exhibits that give visitors the impression that it is well worth

visiting. It is important to actively manage the Museum, such as by changing the exhibits
periodically, asking for advice from experts, appointing an artistic director, andproducing attractive exhibits with solid concepts. It is also desirable to have permanent
staff members who can provide guidance to researchers and foreign visitors.
(vii) In order to present a wide-ranging and revolving lineup of objects in a limited space, it

may be reasonable to install electric displays so that the contents can be changed easily,rather than having to change physical panels.
(viii) Using questionnaires to ask elementary and junior high school students what they wish

to see at the Museum may produce unexpected ideas that grown-ups could never comeup with. Specific arrangements for those students may be necessary, such as quizzes atvarious points during their visit, or distributing worksheets, so as to avoid one-way
communication.
e. Collaboration with the relevant facilities(ix) Efforts should be made to advance collaboration with the relevant facilities, including

the Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For example, it isundoubtedly possible to distribute brochures or create mutual links on the websites.
f. Interconnectivity with the website / archive function(x)

Due to space constraints at the Museum, it is obviously needed to enhancecommunication through the website, complementing the physical Museum. In addition
to functioning as a hub, the Museum should also serve as an archive by providing
visitors with various videos and materials, such as local newspapers and news
recordings, in collaboration with the relevant organizations. Meanwhile, since the more
video contents and materials are posted on the website, the higher the risk ofcyberattacks, care should be taken to ensure adequate security and keep the visitors to
the site from being victimized.

g. Target audiences and regional traveling exhibitions(xi) There appears to be a wide gender and age imbalance in terms of visitors to the current

Museum. It is important to consider how to generate interest in the issue of territorial
integrity among women and those age groups who do not visit the Museum. There is21relatively low interest in territorial integrity among those in their 20s and 30s, thus it isparticularly important to appeal to these age groups. A further suggestion would be to
conduct traveling exhibitions in the form of special exhibitions at museums, art galleries,
and libraries in Japan. It may be possible to raise interest among a broader range ofgenerations by proactively bringing exhibitions to them, for instance, by creating a
package of traveling exhibitions and organizing monthly exhibitions that take place all
around the nation. At the same time, the new Museum can be a place for in-depth
learning for those who have such an interest.
h. Multilingual exhibits(xii)

If the explanations at the Museum are provided in multiple languages, the number offoreign visitors can be expected to increase. Providing multilingual services should beconsidered not only on the website, but also at the Museum. Aside from English,
Russian, Chinese, and Korean translation should also be provided.

i. Cases in Korea(xiii) It should be noted that Korea is taking measures to raise domestic awareness by

establishing “Dokdo Museums” widely across the nation and also naming a warship“Dokdo.”j. Initiatives by Shimane Prefecture(xiv) The Takeshima Library in Shimane Prefecture, in collaboration with researchers, hascollected many materials, supported by voluntary contributions from citizens for thedevelopment of research. Recent initiatives include pointing out errors in the grounds
for Korea’s territorial claims, issuing booklets explaining the Takeshima issue from theperspective of international law, issuing materials for public awareness in braille andenlarged font, and organizing traveling exhibitions for raising awareness, which have
had a large impact. Furthermore, information on the holding of the events is also
disseminated via PR materials that are available not only in municipally-run facilities
but also convenience stores and other locations.

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(4) Material ResearchA.

Initiatives to dateSince the fiscal year of 2014, the Territory Office has commissioned projects to conduct
research on materials that provide grounds and references for Japan’s territorial claims on
Takeshima and the Senkaku Islands, by establishing committees of experts. Based on theadvice of the experts, the material research focused mainly on the collection of materials.
Plenty of materials have already been recorded digitally. The primary outcomes werecompiled in annual reports for each fiscal year since fiscal 2014, while individual materials
have been published on the portal site in the form of databases in Japanese and English.
As for the results of the material research commissioned by the Territory Office to date,progress has been made on the collection of evidence that Japanese nationals have beenusing the Senkaku Islands and Takeshima. These cover the respective periods from the
Cabinet decision to incorporate the Senkaku Islands as part of Japanese territory in 1895
and the Cabinet decision to incorporate Takeshima as part of Shimane Prefecture in 1905,
to the end of the Second World War respectively. In the case of the Senkaku Islands, asmany materials were burnt in Okinawa Prefecture during the war, there have been somecases where valuable materials were newly discovered when private collections were
donated to public organizations.
One of the greatest achievements of the material research project commissioned by the
Territory Office, as with the Senkaku Islands, is the discovery of materials in the decadeleading up to the Cabinet decision in 1895, during which the lack of signs of control byother countries was carefully examined by the Meiji Government. This contributed to theunderstanding of the events prior to the incorporation of the Senkaku Islands as part ofJapan. For example, materials were found which indicate that Uotsuri Island (part of the
Senkaku Islands) was provisionally placed under the jurisdiction of the Yaeyama Police in
1891.
With regard to Takeshima, materials were found which clarify further details on the drafting
process of the San Francisco Peace Treaty by the Allied Powers including the United States
and the United Kingdom, and indicate that the Treaty was drafted with the recognition that
Takeshima is part of Japanese territory. Since last fiscal year, overseas research has been
implemented in collaboration with JIIA.
B.

Analysis of the current status

The material research commissioned by the Territory Office has produced significant
results in the collection of materials, and many valuable materials have been digitized andobtained in a format that is easy to use. On the other hand, due in part to the vulnerability23

of the research body, there are many materials that have been collected but not yet archived
nor analyzed. Therefore, it has not been possible to attach adequate explanations to thesematerials, nor use them as public materials for the website or physical Museum.
Furthermore, they are neither being fully utilized to substantiate the reasoning of theGovernment’s position.
With regard to the collection of materials, there are differences in the extent of collection
depending on the time periods. It is necessary to continue striving to collect the materialsof the periods of particular importance. Although it has never been actively done, somematerials contributing to counterarguments against the claims of the other countries havebeen collected, and published in annual reports. It is necessary to collect, analyze, andpublicize materials systematically and strategically.
C.

Comments on the future direction of measuresa. Shift from the collection of materials to analysis and utilization(i) Despite the limited number of personnel available to join the material research projectcommissioned by the Territory Office for both Takeshima and the Senkaku Islands, avery large number of materials have been collected successfully. However, the workof organizing and categorizing the materials collected has been shelved. Focus should
be shifted from collection to analysis. It would be desirable to organize these materials
to make them widely available for use by the Museum, school education, and research.
For that reason, where necessary, further efforts should be made to review the
responsibilities of the Material Research Committee, and to develop the organizationof research activity.
b. Need for continuing the collection of materials and clarification of targets(ii)With regard to the collection of materials, new materials have been continuously
discovered, and there are materials that have not yet been obtained although their
existence is clear. Even for the obtained materials, new discoveries occur often when
researchers are reviewing them. Hence, the Territory Office should continue its
organizational activities. The collection of materials also contributes to the progress of
research.

(iii) The material research project commissioned by the Territory Office has achieved, to acertain extent, its original goal of preventing the loss of materials related to Takeshima
and the Senkaku Islands, which can be taken as a great step forward. On the other hand,
many of the collected materials tend to be in the period after the Cabinet decision on
the incorporation of the islands, in which materials are relatively easy to obtain, or tend
to be collected from the perspective of local history. From now on, importance should24be placed on materials from periods in which a relatively small number of materials
have been discovered, and they should be prioritized for research.
c. Purpose of material research, and prioritizing activities(iv) The aim of the material research to be promoted by the Territory Office is considered

to be the collection and analysis of materials valuable to the territorial claims of theGovernment of Japan, and priority should be placed on the study of materials that aremeaningful for achieving this aim. Furthermore, necessary materials differ dependingon whether the purpose is publicity and raising awareness, or preparation for aninternational lawsuit or response in the event of diplomatic issues. In the case of thelatter, methods can also be different, such as cases where it is necessary to keep theinformation undisclosed. Hence, the purpose should be clarified.
(v)

When deciding on the priorities of a material research project, the differences in claims
between Japan and the other country, China or Korea, should be analyzed, and focus
should be placed on materials that provide grounds for effective counterarguments
against the claims of the other country.

(vi) Counterarguments against the claims made by the other country are necessary for

effective presentation of the territorial claims, as the simple utterance of grounds forthe territorial claims has little persuasiveness. However, taking the case of the Northern
Territories, if the Japanese side starts arguing on a specific point of Russia’s claims,
this will never reach a conclusion nor any productive result. Hence, Japan should
consider, from a broader perspective, objectively persuasive lines of messaging fromthe viewpoint of third-party countries, and carry out research on the necessary
materials to that end.
d. Proposals for specific activities(vii) Besides the Northern Territories, for which diplomatic negotiations are ongoing, aswith Takeshima, Japan should prepare an official document, or a “white paper,” thatputs together the view of the Government. With regard to the Senkaku Islands, part ofJapan’s inherent territory, continued effort should be made to collect and organize
materials that contribute to proving Japan’s territoriality, based on the fundamental
position that there are no issues to be resolved related to the territoriality of the islands.
At the same time, Japan’s viewpoints should be compiled into a document.
(viii) As for the incorporation of the Senkaku Islands as part of Japan’s territory, Japan

should present materials that objectively represent the historical background that the
Senkaku Islands were mostly utilized by the people of Ryukyu at the time of theincorporation, putting the issue in a broader perspective from the viewpoint of the25relationship with Ryukyu and that between Japan and China respectively. There would
appear to be Chinese researchers who have shown an interest in such materials.
(ix) As for the Northern Territories, the creation of the collection of materials jointly by

the foreign ministries of Japan and Russia contributed to significant progress in theunderstanding of these materials by both countries. If the same were true to the casesof Takeshima and the Senkaku Islands, whatever the extent, it would be possible topromote research activities by compiling the basic materials and creating such acollection, if not as a joint endeavor with the opposing country, then at least one by
Japan for researchers’ use.
e. Material preservation and storage(x)

With regard to the preservation and storage of the original copies of valuable
documents, it is important to specify the important materials and their locations, andconsider how to preserve them. It is necessary to confirm if there is any risk from theviewpoint of their vulnerability to earthquakes or tsunamis, and the weakness ofbuildings. For personal collections, which must usually be dealt with delicately, it isnecessary to consider ways to prevent their loss, including purchasing them, if
appropriate.

f. Promotion of research and studies on territory and sovereignty(xi) Research and studies are, by their nature, to be carried out freely based on the

researchers’ ideas. In the field of territory and sovereignty, it would be ideal to makeavailable outcomes needed by the Government through the facilitation of academic
research. However, under the current circumstances, there are only a few researchers
in the related disciplines, and the Government is unable to obtain adequate outcomes
without taking measures to promote research. In this situation, the Government shouldtake medium- to long-term measures to strengthen functions related to research andstudies in the nation such as nurturing researchers, with an appropriate combination offacilitation measures, including project commissions and grants, depending on thecharacteristics of the entity conducting the research. Furthermore, when doing so, theGovernment should also promote research and studies that provide a comprehensive
and interrelated overview of the Northern Territories, Takeshima, and the Senkaku
Islands.
(xii) In the future course of promoting material research, efforts should be made to advancecollaboration with research institutes more than ever before, including prefectural history
compilation projects and the Japan Institute of International Affairs.

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4

Integrative Promotion of Measures in the Respective Policy Areas

In “3. Reviews in the Respective Policy Areas,” the current state was analyzed and the future
direction of measures was considered in the respective areas of measures: (1) Overseas
communications; (2) Domestic awareness; (3) National Museum of Territory and Sovereignty;
and (4) Material research. As pointed out in “2. Needs and Objectives of Holding this Sessionof the Advisory Panel,” the respective measures in the areas of (1) to (4) are closely interlinked.
To find solutions to the issues concerning territory and sovereignty, it is vital for the national
Government, local governments, and the academic and educational communities to have an
accurate understanding of Japan’s position, including the background up to the present day, thegrounds for Japan’s territorial claims, the claims by the other countries and Japan’scounterarguments, and the basic approach to pursue a peaceful solution under the rule of law,and also to collaborate with each other’s activities and implement measures in a united manner.
To that end, the Government needs to ensure that the relevant ministries and agencies
understand one another’s activities and deepen the necessary collaboration more than everbefore, through flexibly holding meetings of the Interagency Coordination Group on
Communications Concerning Territorial Integrity under the auspice of the Minister in charge ofTerritorial Issues. At the same time, the Government needs to implement, at various levels,
effective measures for said policy challenge in a manner that strengthens synergy, in broader
collaboration not just internally, within the Government, but also externally, with local
governments and the academic and educational communities.
We ask the Minister in charge of Territorial Issues and other relevant parties to refer to thisreport in advancing measures for domestic and overseas communications concerning territorial
integrity. Furthermore, appropriate follow-ups are essential to ensure steady implementation of
the measures on the basis of this report. To this end, it is highly effective to utilize third-party
evaluations.

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Reference
Members of the Advisory Panel on Communications Concerning Territorial Integrity(Names after the Chair in order of Japanese syllabary)(Chair)Masashi Nishihara

President, Research Institute for Peace and Security

Shin Kawashima

Professor, University of Tokyo

Shigeru Sasaki

Former teacher, Shotoku Gakuin High School

Masao Shimojo

Professor, Takushoku University

Susumu Takai

Special Research Fellow, Center for Island Studies,
Ocean Policy Planning and Management Department,
Sasakawa Peace Foundation

Takashi Tsukamoto

Former Professor, Tokai University

Kazuhiro Nakatani

Professor, University of Tokyo

Tetsuya Nakano

Professor, Kansai University

Shinji Hyodo

Director, Regional Studies Department,
National Institute for Defense Studies

Satoshi Hirano

Professor, University of Tokyo

Yuichi Hosoya

Professor, Keio University

Chisako Masuo

Associate Professor, Kyushu University

Shino Watanabe

Professor, Sophia University28Meetings of the Advisory Panelon Communications Concerning Territorial Integrity

First meeting (May 21, 2019)-

General discussion on domestic and overseas communications concerning
territorial integrity

Second meeting (June 17, 2019)-

Discussion on overseas communications

Third meeting (June 24, 2019)-

Discussion on domestic awareness and the National Museum of Territory andSovereignty

Fourth meeting (July 5, 2019)-

Discussion on material research and the compilation of recommendations

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