The Japanese government is likely to turn down a Japanese right-wing group’s plan to erect a “Takeshima Monument” in front of the Korean Embassy in Japan, which claims the disputed islets in the East Sea as Japanese territory, a source said Thursday.

Koreans call the islets Dokdo, while Japanese call them Takeshima.

A source in the Korean government said the Japanese government would be in a difficult position if it allowed the monument to be erected, which could cause the diplomatic dispute between the two countries to escalate.

“The issue is something that should be decided by the Japanese local authorities. But Japanese society plays by the rules and it takes many requirements to install something on a road,” the source said.

According to news reports, the Japanese conservative group submitted an application to its local government for permission to build a monument on the street in front of the Korean Embassy in the district of Minami-Azabu in Tokyo.

The Korean Embassy is temporarily located in Shinjuku, but plans to move back to its original location in Minami-Azabu when the renovation of its building is completed.

The Japanese group also reportedly plans to apply for permits to set up statues in front of the Korean Consulate General in Osaka and Kobe.

The conservatives’ plan to erect Takeshima monuments came after a Korean civic group in December erected a “comfort women” statue in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul as a reminder of Korean women drafted as sex slaves for Japanese soldiers during World War II.

Several days prior to the installment of the Korean statue, Tokyo asked Seoul to prevent the civic group from setting up the monument.

However, the Korean government rejected the request. It is statue of a Korean girl facing the embassy while seated next to an empty chair.

The dispute over the sovereignty of the islets is likely to intensify as Japan’s Feb. 22 “Takeshima Day” approaches.

Japan’s Shimane prefecture designated Feb. 22 as “Takeshima Day” in 2005, amid criticism and protests from Koreans.

In response, Korea’s North Gyeongsang Province, which has the Dokdo islets in its jurisdiction, broke its relationship with Shimane prefecture that year and has been holding “the Month of Dokdo” in October every year.

By Kim Yoon-mi (yoonmi@heraldcorp.com)