The Fundamental Policy of the Allied Powers on the Postwar Disposition of Japanese Territories and the Status of Dokdo: Based on the Views of the Korean and Japanese Governments in the 1950s-60s

This paper examines the fundamental policy of the Allied Powers regarding the postwar disposition of Japanese territories and evaluates how the status of Dokdo should be interpreted in this context. The postwar territorial settlement of Japan by the Allied Powers was ultimately finalized through the San Francisco Peace Treaty, but Dokdo was not explicitly mentioned in Article 2 of the territorial provisions. In this regard, South Korea and Japan have taken opposing positions on the interpretation of key documents, including the Cairo Declaration, SCAPIN-677, and Article 2 in the San Francisco Peace Treaty. From 1953 to 1965, the Korean and Japanese governments exchanged diplomatic documents concerning Dokdo. The Japanese government issued four statements on Dokdo beginning on July 13, 1953, and the Korean government responded with four rebuttal documents. These exchanges clarified the arguments and issues surrounding the claims to Dokdo, particularly the question of how Dokdo was addressed in the process of the Allied Powers' postwar disposition of Japanese territories. This question emerged as one of the main points of contention. Subsequently, there were no further detailed discussions between the two governments regarding the fundamental policy of the Allied Powers on Japanese territories and Dokdo's status. The positions of both governments on this issue remain largely unchanged from the debates of the 1950s and 1960s. This study aims to analyze the arguments and rebuttals exchanged between the Korean and Japanese governments during the 1950s and 1960s, focusing on one key issue: “What was the fundamental policy of the Allied Powers on the postwar disposition of Japanese territories, and how should Dokdo's status be interpreted accordingly?” Based on this analysis, the study examines a series of documents, from the Cairo Declaration, which marked the Allied Powers' initial resolution on the postwar disposition of Japanese territories, to the San Francisco Peace Treaty, considering their interrelations. It seeks to interpret these documents in a coherent and integrated manner within the overarching context of the Allied Powers' postwar territorial policy. Through this approach, it aims to confirm that Dokdo was separated from Japanese territory in 1945.