Japan not inviting S. Korea to naval review amid dispute

Tokyo announced Tuesday that it is not inviting South Korea to a multinational naval review it is hosting next month because ties are strained over history, trade, and defense.

The Maritime Self-Defense Force, Japan’s navy, said on Tuesday it will not invite South Korea’s navy to the review, scheduled for October 14 at Sagami Bay, west of Tokyo, AP reported.

“We don’t have an adequate environment to invite South Korea, considering the severe condition of current Japan-South Korea relations,” said the head of the maritime force, Adm. Hiroshi Yamamura.

South Korean Defense Ministry spokeswoman Choi Hyun-soo said earlier in the day that Seoul did not receive an invitation and that it’s up to the hosts to decide the participants. The US, Britain, Canada, Australia, India, Singapore, and China have been invited.