It is another Friday the 13th. Be safe out there!
PM Takaichi must be pandering to the voters in Shimane prefecture that supported her party in the last election because this issue is so dumb. There is no way Japan is ever going to have sovereignty over Dokdo. They might as claim sovereignty over Hawaii because they have as much chance of claiming those islands as they do Dokdo:
The presidential office on Friday rejected Japan’s renewed territorial claim over Dokdo, stressing that no sovereignty dispute exists over Korea’s easternmost islets. (….)
The response came after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reiterated Tokyo’s claim to the islets and suggested that her government could send a Cabinet member to the annual “Takeshima Day” event. Tokyo refers to Dokdo by its Japanese name, Takeshima.
Speaking Thursday during a session of the House of Representatives Budget Committee, Takaichi said Japan would continue to promote its position on the islets internationally.
“We will clearly let the international community know that Takeshima is Japanese territory,” she said. “We will work to create the conditions so that a Cabinet member will one day attend the Takeshima Day event.”
You can read more at the link.
This is probably going to be happening across the world as the war with Iran drags on:
The government said Thursday it will implement a temporary fuel price cap system starting at midnight to help ease cost burdens amid supply concerns over the ongoing Middle East crisis, officials said Thursday.
The government announced the plan at a task force meeting of ministers in charge of managing market prices, as domestic fuel prices have fluctuated since the United States and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran late last month.
It marks the first time since 1997 that South Korea is enforcing the price ceiling system using a provision in the Petroleum Business Act that allows the industry minister to designate a maximum sales price when oil prices fluctuate sharply and threaten economic stability.
Under the price cap system, the government will set maximum prices for oil products South Korean oil refineries supply to gas stations and distributors, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources.
The ministry said it has decided to apply the price ceiling on supplies by oil refineries, not the retail prices at gas stations, considering that retail prices vary widely by region and business strategy and operating practices of gas stations.
The maximum price will be calculated by multiplying the weekly average supply prices of regular gasoline, diesel and lamp oil products, and the adjustment rate of the Mean of Platts Singapore (MOPS), added with related taxes. MOPS is a benchmark price for petroleum products across the Asia-Pacific region.
The initial price cap will be set at 1,724 won (US$1.17) per liter for regular gasoline, 1,713 won per liter for diesel and 1,320 won per liter for lamp oil.
You can read more at the link.
If missiles and launchers are being moved that would still mean the system in Korea is combat effective; it would just have a smaller inventory. However, if its radar or C2 systems are being moved then it would be combat ineffective:
The United States has been moving parts of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system from South Korea to the Middle East, the Washington Post reported, citing two officials.
The reported movement of parts of a THAAD missile defense system comes amid media reports that the U.S. military stationed in South Korea has shipped out some of its military assets amid an intensifying war in the Middle East.
“The Pentagon is moving parts of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system from South Korea to the Middle East,” the report said.
You can read more at the link.
This shouldn’t be terribly surprising that the ROK President was against the deployment of USFK assets to assist with the war against Iran:
President Lee Jae Myung said Tuesday that a potential relocation of military assets owned by the U.S. military stationed in South Korea will not affect the deterrence posture against North Korea.
Citing media reports that the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) might have recently shipped out some weapons, including an anti-missile defense system, Lee told a Cabinet meeting, “If you ask if our deterrence strategy against North Korea is severely affected (because of a possible shift of such assets), I can say absolutely not.”
The remarks by Lee did not explicitly comment on the possible movement or repositioning of USFK’s military assets.
However, South Korea has expressed its opposition against USFK’s possible shift of its military assets, but it is a “stark reality” that South Korea’s opinions would not be fully accepted, Lee said.
“Our government expects the USFK to fully contribute to stability and peace on the Korean Peninsula, which I believe it has done so far,” Lee said.
“Depending on how the situation unfolds, however, the USFK may dispatch some air defense systems abroad in accordance with its own military needs. While we have expressed opposition, the reality is that we cannot fully push through our position.”
You can read more at the link.
