A visit by South Korea's president to a group of tiny islands is regrettable but does not alter Japan's claim to them, UPI quoted the Japanese prime minister as saying. Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda made the comments in a letter to President Lee Myung-bak after Lee visited the islands, known as Dokdo by Korea, on Aug. 14, Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported. The letter, made public Friday by Japanese media, also was critical of Lee's comments that if Emperor Akihito wants to visit South Korea he should apologize for colonial rule of the country from 1910 to 1945. Noda proposed in the letter that the countries' claims over the islands should be taken to the International Court of Justice. South Korea has previously rejected such a proposal. South Korean officials contend they regained sovereignty over the islands when the country got independence from Japan in 1945.
