The municipal government of Ishigaki in Okinawa Prefecture, which has jurisdiction over the Senkaku Islands, has said it will apply to the central government for approval to land on the islands to install signposts with a new district name.
The municipal government changed the district name of the Senkaku Islands from Tonoshiro to Tonoshiro Senkaku in October. A draft budget bill for next fiscal year, approved by the municipal council on Monday, includes the cost of making signposts.
Part of donations received through the furusato nozei (hometown tax payment) system will be used, according to the Ishigaki government. The system allows taxpayers to pay part of their local taxes to a local government of their choice and receive gifts in return.
The plan is to set up signposts on five islands, including Uotsuri Island.
However, applications by the Ishigaki municipal government to land on the Senkaku Islands have not been approved since 2012, when the islands were nationalized, according to the municipal government.
The municipal council also approved an opinion letter requesting the central government to conduct an aerial inspection of the islands.
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