Japan is using YouTube to bolster assertions of ownership over islands also claimed by neighboring China and South Korea . Japan 's Foreign Ministry published the two videos on its official YouTube channel , under the username MOFAchannel , October 16 . In one , Tokyo 's claim over the Senkaku islands -- known as the Diaoyu islands in China -- are supported through old black-and-white photographs and a timeline of events starting with a document dating back to 1895 . In the other , similar pictures and a chronology of events starting from 1900 illustrate Japan 's claim to the Takeshima islands , known as the Dokdo islands in Korean . Both videos have received more than half a million page views since they were published . China and South Korea both criticized Japan 's social media push . `` The Diaoyu Islands and other affiliated islands have always been Chinese territory . China has solid evidence to prove this , '' the Chinese government stressed in an official statement . `` No matter what propaganda measures Japan takes , it will not change the fact that the Diaoyu Islands belong to China . We strongly urge Japan to correct its attitude and stop all kinds of provocative acts . '' In South Korea , lawmakers from the country 's major parties vowed to counter Japan 's `` provocative '' moves , according to the semi-official Yonhap news agency . South Korea 's foreign ministry also demanded Tokyo take down its Dokdo island video and summoned a Japanese diplomatic official to lodge a formal complaint . In reply , Tokyo has said the videos will remain -- and its Foreign Ministry plans to produce videos on the Kuril islands claimed by Russia and on the official name of the Sea of Japan , according to Japan 's Kyodo news . `` The government is doing what we must do regularly , from the viewpoint of promoting a more correct understanding of the situation surrounding our country , '' explained a Foreign Ministry press secretary at a news conference in Tokyo .
Japan posts YouTube videos on official channel supporting claims to disputed islands . - The Philippines and Vietnam have also made similar claims. Tokyo says it will not take down controversial videos and will add more .