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SCAPIN NO.677 and Reversion of Tokdo

Following the surrender of Japan, SCAP GHQ was set up in Tokyo, which began to implement the Cairo and Potsdam Declarations. As the initial step, a Memorandum for Governmental and Administrative Separation of Certain Outlying Areas form Japan was issued as SCAPIN (Supreme Command for Allied Powers Instruction) No.677.

This directive limited Japan's territory to the four main islands of Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, and Shigoku, and about 1,000 smaller islands. Excluded from the definition in Clause 5 of Japan's territories were Ullungdo, Tokdo and Chejudo.

Clause 5 of the instruction provides that "the definition of the Japan contained in the directive shall also apply to all future directives, memoranda and orders from the Headquarters unless otherwise specified therein." Therefore, without another specific instruction by SCAP this definition could not be changed and would continue to be binding.

In accordance with this instruction, SCAP transferred the jurisdiction over Tokdo to the U.S. Military Government in Korea on January 29, 1946. When the Republic of Korea was proclaimed on August 15, 1948, all the territories of Korea, including Tokdo, automatically reverted to the Korean government.

On June 22, 1946 SCAPIN No. 1033 was issued in which Clause 5 set up the fishing and whaling areas permitted for Japanese fishermen and prohibited Japanese ships and crews from entering the 12-nautical mile seas off the Liancourt Rocks at 37°15" N. latitude and 131°53"E. longitude and approaching the island.