Asahi, Mainichi, Yomiuri, and Sankei wrote that Minister in Charge of Territorial Issues Eto told reporters on Tuesday that he will not attend a “Takeshima Day” ceremony to be held on Feb. 22 in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture. He said that Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Cabinet Office Fujiwara will attend the event on his behalf. The papers wrote that this will be the eighth consecutive year for the GOJ to forgo sending the minister in charge of territorial issues to the annual ceremony. Yomiuri quoted Eto as saying that although he had studied the possibility of attending the event or sending his deputy, he concluded that in the absence of a new strategy for negotiations with South Korea, there was no choice but to follow precedent. Japan and South Korea both claim sovereignty over the Liancourt Rocks, which are called Takeshima in Japan and Dokdo in Korea.