South Korea filed an official protest Wednesday over a Japanese prefecture's legislation aimed at boosting its claim to a group of disputed islets located in the East Sea (Sea of Japan). (Photo: Xinhua)

At an urgent press conference, South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Lee Kyu-hyung said South Korea would "take every necessary measure" to have the Japanese legislation scrapped, warning that "Japan is to blame for all consequences." (Photo: Xinhua)

    TOKYO, March 17 (Xinhuanet) -- The website of Japan's Foreign Ministry was attacked Thursday amid a diplomatic row over a group of disputed islands.

    The attacks took place at about 9:15 a.m.(0015 GMT) with flooded information clogging the server and denying access, a ministry official said, adding that the situation has come back tonormal.

    The incident came just one day after the South Korean government lodged protest against the passage of a bill by Japan's Shimane Prefectural Assembly to designate a memorial day for the Takeshima islands. South Korea also claims the sovereignty over the islets, known as Dokdo there, and has control on them.

    Relations of the two countries have dramatically worsened sincelate February due to the territorial dispute and the history issue.

    Seoul has indefinitely postponed a visit by its foreign minister and vowed firmly to safeguard its territory. The South Korean public took to the street blasting the bill, with someone even cutting their fingers to show determination.

    Japan's Kyodo News quoted a government source as saying that there is unconfirmed information that a South Korean website is claiming responsibility. The foreign ministry official gave no confirmation on the report. Enditem