South Korea has made a protest against Japan's accepting some Japanese residents' census register transfers to disputed Tokdo island, which is called Takeshima in Japan, in the East Sea, which is named the Japanese Sea in Japan.

The Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Monday said South Korea has re-claimed its sovereignty over the Tokdo island after some Japanese residents have shifted their household registers to the island.

South Korea has sent a protest letter to Japan, urging it to cancel the census register transfers to the island.

The ministry claimed that the island belongs to South Korea as it virtually rules the islets by stationing garrisons and installing a beacon and other facilities for ships, said the ministry.

Japan has confirmed the census register transfers and reportedly said it could not ban its residents from changing their census registers, as the island is its territory. (Xinhua)