Tokdo/Takeshima Island Dispute: A Call for Educators to Act towards Mutual Understanding

Abstract

The tiny island that lies between Japan and Korea - Takeshima in Japan and Tokdo in Korea - is at the centre of a territorial dispute and serious bilateral tension. This is nothing new. The island, along with other remnants of Japan's colonial aggression in Korea, has sparked diplomatic issues throughout postwar history. Despite unprecedented levels of cultural, academic, and economic exchange between the two nations, the dispute continues to be defined by a persistent legacy of colonialism and growing nationalism. Japanese and Korean political leaders demand that educators legitimate territorial claims by including these in their national curricula. But if educators comply uncritically, we will undermine future generations' development of mutual understanding and respect.