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Japan has demanded that South Korea rethink a mango mousse dessert decorated with a blue map of the Korean peninsula — including islands disputed with Japan — that it plans to serve at an inter-Korean summit dinner.
The issue is a recurring irritant for Tokyo.
The mousse, dubbed Spring of the People in a publicity photo, features islands known as Takeshima in Japan and Dokdo in Korea, which lie about halfway between the East Asian neighbours in the Sea of Japan, which Seoul refers to as the East Sea.
After learning about the plan, the Japanese Government lodged an official protest against South Korea through a diplomatic channel, with Tokyo officials reiterating its claim on the islands, according to the Japan Times.
"It is extremely regrettable," a Japanese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said.
"We have asked that the dessert not be served.
In preparation for the summit, custom furniture were also made.
However, the chairs on which the South and North Korean leaders will sit during the summit also feature the controversial map, engraved into the centre of the cresting rail.
The tiny disputed islands are clearly marked on the custom-made chairs, pictures released by the Blue House on Wednesday show.
Japan complained to South Korea about fans waving a flag with a similar design at a friendly women's ice hockey match at the Winter Paralympics between the combined North and South Korean team and Sweden in March.
The new dispute comes as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean leader President Moon Jae-in prepare to meet to discuss Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program on Friday.
Relations between the two Koreas and Japan have long been strained by territorial disputes and lingering resentment over Japanese colonisation of the Korean peninsula in the first half of last century.
Japan in the past has also protested against the erection of statues commemorating Korean women and girls forced to work in Japanese military brothels during World War II.
Seoul says Tokyo has yet to deliver a heartfelt apology for its wartime actions.
But Mr Moon and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have vowed to present a united front and exert pressure on North Korea to abandon its nuclear and missile programs, which it pursues in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions.
The North-South summit at the border truce village of Panmunjom is set to be followed by a meeting between Mr Kim and US President Donald Trump in May or June.
Reuters/ABC
Topics: world-politics, human-interest, korea-republic-of, korea-democratic-peoples-republic-of, japan
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