Japan’s Post Office Refuses to Issue Dokdo Stamps

Reports indicate that the Japanese Postal Service has rejected one Japanese male’s request to produce a stamp carrying a picture of Dokdo in response to South Korea’s issue of Dokdo stamps.

According to reports from the Japanese press on February 20, the Japanese Postal Service refused to issue 10,000 sheets of Dokdo stamps (100,000 stamps worth approximately 10 million yen) with the phrase “Dakeshima (the Japanese name for Dokdo) is our territory” that was requested by one male customer.

A Japanese postal spokesperson announced, “We denied the request because issuing the stamp is not compatible with our foreign policy and also goes against the Universal Postal Union’s Charter.” The post office has provided custom-made stamps, allowing customers to insert family or one’s own photographs since last year.

In this regard, some members of the Japanese ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), submitted a petition to the government calling for the approval of Dokdo stamps, claiming, “The measures of Japan’s post office are contrary to the national interests of Japan”.

parkwj@donga.com