evidence: For decades, two small, rocky islets have been a source of political and social tension between two of the most powerful Asian nations. The islets are but a tiny, insignificant dot on a map; however, they mean much more to the people of Japan and South Korea. The Japanese call the islets Takeshima and have claimed their official ownership since 1905, during the Russo-Japanese War. Koreans call the land Dokdo and claim it has historically been Korean territory and was wrongfully taken during the Japanese occupation of Korea. This essay will outline ten historically accurate facts, unknown in Japan, surrounding the Dokdo dispute. [...] One of Japan's most persistent arguments is that Dokdo was legally incorporated as Japanese territory in 1905. In 1905, the Japanese Shimane prefectural government registered Dokdo as part of the Oki Islands. However, the story behind this incorporation may not be well known in Japan; and here, another unknown fact emerges.The incorporation began when Japanese fisherman Yozaburo Nakai requested the Japanese government for fishing rights in Dokdo. The interesting part is that Nakai, a resident of Oki Island, had initially planned on requesting fishing rights from the Korean government, but had been discouraged by theJapanese Fisheries Bureau Director. Only after Nakai asked the Japanese government was Dokdo formally registered as Japanese territory. By the time the Korean government was informed of these actions, it was already under the Japanese protectorate and therefore unable to pursue effective diplomatic measures to rectify the situation.