:Embassy of Japan, Seoul
{{Short description|Diplomatic mission in South Korea}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox Diplomatic Mission
|name = Embassy of Japan in Seoul
|location = Seoul
|coordinates = {{coord|37.5754|N|126.9798|E|display=inline,title|type:landmark_region:KR}}
|image = Japanese Embassy in Seoul and watched from behind a bronze statue of comfort women.JPG
|address = Twin Tree Tower A, 6, Yulgok-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
|ambassador = Koichi Aiboshi
}}
The Embassy of Japan in Seoul ({{Korean|hangul=주 대한민국 일본 대사관|hanja=駐大韓民國 日本 大使館|rr=Ju Daehanmingug Ilbon Daesagwan}}) is the diplomatic mission of Japan in South Korea. It is located in Seoul, South Korea's capital.
In addition to this embassy, Japan also has two consulates in South Korea: one in Busan and one in Jeju City.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mofa.go.jp/about/emb_cons/mofaserv.html|title=Websites of Japanese Embassies, Consulates and Permanent Missions ｜ Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan|website=www.mofa.go.jp|language=en|access-date=23 June 2017}}
History
The current embassy was opened on 18 December 1965, following the re-establishment of relations between the two countries, under its first ambassador, Toshikatsu Maeda.{{Cite web|url=http://www.hopetofuture.org/forum/about/sponsors_partners.asp|script-title=ko:미래희망기구|website=www.hopetofuture.org|access-date=23 June 2017}} In 2015, the embassy was moved to the Twin Tree Tower as a temporary location while the embassy building is being renovated.{{Cite news|url=http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2015/06/23/2015062301229.html|title=Japanese Embassy to Move to Temporary Location|access-date=23 June 2017|language=en}}
Design
The building has been described as "a large, red brick structure surrounded by high, barbed-wire-topped walls and guarded at all hours by dozens of police officers".{{Cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-man-sets-himself-on-fire-20150812-story.html|title=South Korean man lights himself on fire during anti-Japan protest in Seoul|date=12 August 2015|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=23 June 2017|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035}}
Demonstrations
The embassy is known as the site of numerous South Korean anti-Japanese demonstrations. In 1974, the embassy was ransacked by angry protesters during a time of heightened tensions between Japan and South Korea.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bzwZwDzFrrgC&pg=PA85|title=Japan and Korea: The Political Dimension|date=13 April 1985 |publisher=Hoover Press|isbn=9780817981839|language=en}} In 2005, two South Koreans sliced off their fingers during a protest related to the Liancourt Rocks dispute outside the embassy.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/aug/18/japan-south-korea-disputed-islands|title=Rocky relations between Japan and South Korea over disputed islands|last=island|first=Justin McCurry on Ulleungdo|date=18 August 2010|work=The Guardian|access-date=23 June 2017|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} In 2012, a South Korean driver rammed his truck against the gate of the embassy, claiming it was done to highlight the Liancourt Rocks dispute.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-18766166|title=Japan anger after protester rams truck at embassy in South Korea|date=9 July 2012|work=BBC News|access-date=23 June 2017|language=en-GB}}
=Comfort women protests=
File:Comfort Women, rally in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, August 2011.jpg rally in front of the embassy, August 2011]]
Since 1992, the embassy has been a site of weekly Wednesday demonstrations related to the comfort women issue.{{cite book|author1=Barbara Molony|author2=Jennifer Nelson|title=Women's Activism and "Second Wave" Feminism: Transnational Histories|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_d8CDgAAQBAJ&pg=PA255|date=9 February 2017|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn=978-1-4742-5053-5|page=255}} The controversial Statue of Peace, related to the comfort women issue, was unveiled in front of the embassy in 2011, causing another lengthy diplomatic row between Japan and South Korea.{{Cite news|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/weekly-protests-in-korea-keep-japanese-ww-two-atrocities-alive/2616779.html|title=Weekly Korea Protests Keep Japanese WWII Atrocities Alive|last=Padden|first=Brian|work=VOA|access-date=23 June 2017|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/05/asia/south-korea-comfort-women-statue/index.html|title=Why this statue of a young girl caused a diplomatic incident|author=Sol Han and James Griffiths|website=CNN|date=6 February 2017 |access-date=23 June 2017}} In 2012, a Chinese man threw four Molotov cocktails at the embassy to voice his anger over the comfort women issue.{{Cite news|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2016/10/117_102467.html|title=Chinese man throws firebombs at Japanese Embassy|date=8 January 2012|work=The Korea Times|access-date=23 June 2017|language=en}} In 2015, an elderly South Korean man set himself on fire during a weekly Wednesday demonstration.
See also
- {{ill|Consulate-General of Japan, Busan|ko|주부산 일본 총영사관}}
- {{ill|Consulate-General of Japan, Jeju|ko|주제주 일본 총영사관}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
{{Commons category|Japanese Embassy, Seoul}}
- {{Official website|http://www.kr.emb-japan.go.jp/people/contact/contactus.html}}
{{Diplomatic missions of Japan}}
{{Diplomatic missions in South Korea}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Japan–South Korea relations