The following page describes a Japanese historical document that recorded a trespassing incident involving Japanese merchant named Aizuya Hachiemon. He operated a cargo-vessel business in Hamada, Iwami (石見?濱田 today’s Hamada in Shimane) under the feudal domain of Hamada.
To the right, is Aizuya Hachiemon’s monument. He was executed for trespassing onto Chosun’s Ulleungdo. To help the ailing financial situation of his domain, he ignored the travel ban to Takeshima (Ulleundo) and conducted illegal contraband trade. Some say that he even traveled to Southeast Asia. Okada Tanomo (岡田?母), who was the chief retainer of the domain, and Hashimoto Sahei (橋本三兵衛), a financial official, silently approved Yaemon’s illegal activities since the profits from the trade was enormous and actually saved the domain from going bankrupt.
右嶋住古は伯州米子のもの共渡海魚漁等致し候といえども、元禄の度 朝鮮国え御渡しに相成り候 以来渡海停止仰せ出され候場所にこれ有り 都（すべ）て異国渡海の儀は重き御制禁に候条 向後右嶋の儀も同様相心得渡海致すまじく候
勿論国々の廻船等海上において異国船に出会わざる様、乗り筋等心がけ申すべき旨先年も相触れ候通り弥々（いよいよ）相守り 以来は可成たけ遠い沖乗り致さざる様乗廻り申すべく候 右の趣御料は御代官私領は領主地頭より浦方村町とも洩れざる様触れ知らすべく候尤も触書きの趣板札に認める高札場等に掛置き申すべきもの也
二月
右の通り公儀従り仰せ出され候間 御領分の者共堅く相守るべきもの也
浦奉行 （浜田市郷土資料館）
天保八乙酉二月
御觸書御請下帳
東八浦
今度 松平周防守元領分
石州濱田松原浦罷在候無宿
八右衛門竹島渡海致侯一件
吟味之上八右衛門其外夫々
Translation 2: “..Just as it has been publicly proclaimed before as sailing abroad is strictly prohibited, and the island above therefore must not be sailed to. Sailors who travel around the nation are certainly to avoid encountering foreign vessels in the sea. Remember not to stray too far. Make sure this information to be known to all far and wide…”
Around the year 1696 Japan conceded Ulleungdo Island (Dokdo’s closest neighbor island) was Chosun territory. The above paper shows how serious the Japanese government was about restricting the travel distance permissible for Japanese nationals in the East Sea. As quoted the document warned Japanese not to stray too far it also restricted them from coming in contact with foreign vessels.
Dokdo Island has little or no fresh water and could not offer adequate mooring shelter from the storms that frequent this area. Records also show Dokdo Island was about three days travel from Yonago City against both prevailing winds and ocean currents. Thus, it made no sense for Japanese to visit only Dokdo Island. It also could explain why an explicit travel ban on these distant, desolate rocks wasn’t initially declared in 1696.
In reality, there are no Japanese historical maps or records that show Japanese visited Dokdo as a sole destination but only as a stopover when trespassing onto Chosun’s Ulleungdo. The image to the right is of Korea’s Ulleungdo taken from the shores of Dokdo Island.
Some Japanese have asserted the travel ban did not extend over Dokdo Island. However, after a further analysis of all the related data, it seems quite the opposite is true. To the left is a picture of the actual wooden signpost that was auctioned off. There are more details on the trial of Aizuya Hachiemon to be found here. ( link )
However, as we will see, the policy of the Japanese government would soften and illegal Japanese immigrants would later overwhelm Ulleungdo Island. As a result, in 1883, hundreds of illegal Japanese squatters had to be forcibly removed from the Ulleungdo. Again, for the third time the Japanese would later make another official announcement banning passage to Ulleungdo. In the not too distant future Japan’s policy would shift dramatically as shown here. ( see link 1 ) and ( see link 2 )
