TOKYO, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Japan on Monday asserted its claims over the disputed islets in the Sea of Japan during a ceremony, drawing a harsh backlash from South Korea.

The annual ceremony known in Japan as "Takeshima Day," held every Feb. 22 since 2006, immediately drew a staunch backlash from Seoul who strongly protested against the holding of the ceremony and maintained the islets belonged to South Korea.

The islets, known as Dokdo in South Korea and Takeshima in Japan, are claimed by both sides.

South Korea rebuked the holding of the ceremony and Japan's claims over the islets with the South Korean Foreign Ministry saying in a statement that the holding of the ceremony and the attendance of Japanese officials was a useless provocation over the islets and should be stopped immediately.