IN BRIEF (Page 4)

Japan

S. Korea urged to return islets

Japan urged South Korea again on Sunday to return disputed islets, one of the issues which have soured ties between the two nations. Seoul controls the islands, which it calls Dokdo. They are known in Japan as Takeshima. The Shimane prefectural government in southwestern Japan held its annual convention Sunday, after enacting a local ordinance in 2005 that designated Feb 22 "Takeshima Day".