About six out of 10 Japanese see the South Korean islets of Dokdo as their territory, a Japanese government survey showed Thursday.

In an apparent attempt to reiterate its claim to South Korea's easternmost islets, Japan's Cabinet Office released the findings of its first survey on the Japanese people's thoughts on Dokdo, called Takeshima in Japan.

The government polled 3,000 Japanese adults aged 20 or older, and 1,784 responded.

According to the survey, 60.7 percent said they view Dokdo as Japanese territory in terms of history and international law. The Cabinet Office said 63.1 percent responded that the islets have been "unlawfully occupied" by South Korea, and 62 percent said the islets are part of Shimane Prefecture in Japan.

In July, South Korea lodged a protest after Japan laid claim to Dokdo in its annual defense paper.

(Yonhap News)