Japan withdraws it ambassador in South Korea to protest Lee's visit to islands

Japan is withdrawing its ambassador to South Korea to protest a visit by South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak to islands claimed by both nations. Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba said Friday that Mr. Lee's visit was unacceptable and would  have a lasting effect on the relation between two nations. Mr. Lee became the first South Korean President to ever visit the islands on Friday. South Korean officials said the visit was not meant to create problems.

original news

（日本語訳）
日本は、日本・韓国両国が領有を主張している島(竹島）へのリ・ミョンバク大統領の訪問に抗議するため韓国大使を引上げている（一時帰国させている）。日本の玄葉ひかり一郎外務大臣は金曜日、リ大統領の訪問は受け入れられないもので、二国間の関係に継続的な影響を与えるものとなると語った。リ大統領の金曜日の訪問は、韓国大統領として初めてのものとなった。韓国政府は、今回の訪問は問題を引き起こすものではないと言った。

My thought/opinion on this news
This conflict between two nations is far away from ordinary people's feeling, I think. Because in Japan, a lot of South Korean entertainers have become popular now, two country's people are not likely to be conscious of border between them.  
Recent days, several conflicts on national border around Japan have happened. I am a little bit worried that the situation might be worse.

朝日新聞　2012年8月11日（土）朝刊