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[email protected]) Citation: Rule of Law Series, Japan Digital Library (March 2015), http://www2.jiia.or.jp/en/digital_library/rule_of_law.php An Outline of the Territorial Dispute over Takeshima* Takashi Tsukamoto Evidence shows that in the 17th century economic activities were carried out by Japanese people on Takeshima, which Japan officially incorporated into Shimane Prefecture in 1905. Although the Japanese administration thereof was temporarily suspended during the postwar occupation, the sovereignty of Japan over the island was subsequently confirmed during the preparation of the Peace Treaty. In 1952, Korea placed the island within the so-called Syngman Rhee Line, which gave rise to a dispute between Japan and Korea over the attribution of the island. From 1954 onward, Korea has been stationing armed personnel on the island, and thereby de facto occupying it. Korea calls Takeshima as Dokdo. It alleges that the Usando that appears in ancient Korean books since the 15th century refers to Takeshima, and that the 1900 ordinance provided Takeshima (Seokdo) was within the administrative area of Ulleungdo. Also, it claims that the Japanese govern- ment determined in 1877 that Takeshima was not Japanese territory. This paper outlines the historical developments relating to the territorial dispute over Takeshima by dividing it into 21 chronological sections.