South Korea yesterday began a series of military exercises around contested islets (pictured) in the Sea of Japan, known as Dokdo in South Korea and Takeshima in Japan. And while the drills are biannual, they come at a particularly sensitive time, with a diplomatic spat still fresh in the public consciousness. Earlier this month a Tokyo Olympics map was released showing the islands as Japanese territories. South Korea demanded the map be altered but no changes have been made, fuelling requests for mediation by the International Olympic Committee and some politicians even suggesting an Olympic boycott. South Korea's president, Moon Jae-in, was expected to quell these calls and show support for the Olympics at last week's G7 summit in Cornwall but Japan's prime minister Yoshihide Suga cancelled their meeting, seemingly over the planned military exercises. Such diplomatic tit-for-tat between the countries' leaders is unhelpful and hardly bodes well for a quick resolution.
