Masterhatch (talk | contribs) the study is unverified and undated. You can't use that in a history. Also, i checked,except for about 4 or 5 things (which if fixed) the grammar is fine in my version |
it is korea's argument. you can verify that it is korea's argument. it is in the argument section. this article is about a dispute. |
||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
[[Image:Dotnotsoj.jpg|thumb|The dispute concerns the English name of this water]] |
[[Image:Dotnotsoj.jpg|thumb|The dispute concerns the English name of this water]] |
||
There is a long-running '''dispute over the name of the Sea of Japan''' between Japan and Korea. The two countries disagree over |
There is a long-running '''dispute over the name of the Sea of Japan''' between Japan and Korea. The two countries disagree over the sea's international name. The [[Japan]]ese government insists that it be called "Sea of Japan." The [[South Korea]]n government challenges this name, contending it is a symbol of Japan's imperialistic past, and insists on the name "East Sea." It points to its own tally of historic maps referring to the sea as Sea of Korea/Corea/Chosen or East/Oriental Sea. The [[North Korea]]n government use ''East Sea of Korea'' in its English publications. |
||
* The Japanese call it the ''Sea of Japan'' or sometimes ''Japan Sea'' |
* The Japanese call it the ''Sea of Japan'' or sometimes ''Japan Sea'' |
||
Line 6: | Line 6: | ||
* South Koreans call it the ''East Sea'' |
* South Koreans call it the ''East Sea'' |
||
The South Korean government and media use ''East Sea'' consistently in their publications. Since the [[1990s]], South Korea have increased their campaign efforts to change the sea's official international name. Neither the [[United Nations Conferences on Standardization of Geographical Names|UN]] (UNCSGN) nor the [[International Hydrographic Organization]] (IHO) have so far |
The South Korean government and media use ''East Sea'' consistently in their publications. Since the [[1990s]], South Korea have increased their campaign efforts to change the sea's official international name. Neither the [[United Nations Conferences on Standardization of Geographical Names|UN]] (UNCSGN) nor the [[International Hydrographic Organization]] (IHO) have so far determined the validity of either name, but are using the more commonly recognized "Sea of Japan" until the parties resolve the dispute. |
||
Many international and media organizations use the names ''Sea of Japan'' and ''East Sea'' together. |
|||
The dispute does not attempt to get the respective countries to adopt each other's preferred terms in their own languages. South Koreans generally do not object to Japanese maps calling the sea 日本海 (which translates as ''Japan Sea''), and Japanese do not object to Korean maps calling it 동해 (which translates as ''Eastern Sea''). |
The dispute does not attempt to get the respective countries to adopt each other's preferred terms in their own languages. South Koreans generally do not object to Japanese maps calling the sea 日本海 (which translates as ''Japan Sea''), and Japanese do not object to Korean maps calling it 동해 (which translates as ''Eastern Sea''). |
||
==History of the dispute== |
==History of the dispute== |
||
According to Japan's count, this sea is mainly called ''Sea of Japan'' on most maps earlier than the [[19th century]], but some maps call it by various names including ''Bay of Korea'', ''Chinese Ocean'', ''Sea of Corea'', ''Oriental Sea'', or ''Sea of Korea |
According to South Korea's count, it is mainly called "Sea of Korea/Corea" or "East/Oriental Sea" on most maps prior to Japan's imperialistic expansion. According to Japan's count, this sea is mainly called ''Sea of Japan'' on most maps earlier than the [[19th century]], but some maps call it by various names including ''Bay of Korea'', ''Chinese Ocean'', ''Sea of Corea'', ''Oriental Sea'', or ''Sea of Korea." |
||
At the [[1919]] meeting of the [[International Hydrographic Organization|International Hydrographic Bureau]] (IHB) to officially determine internationally acceptable names of bodies of water, Japanese delegates |
At the [[1919]] meeting of the [[International Hydrographic Organization|International Hydrographic Bureau]] (IHB) to officially determine internationally acceptable names of bodies of water, Japanese delegates registered the name ''Sea of Japan'' for the sea. Korea could not participate during these talks because it was under Japanese colonial rule. |
||
In [[1928]], ''Limits of Oceans and Seas'' |
In [[1928]], ''Limits of Oceans and Seas,'' the first edition of the guideline by the IHB used ''Japan Sea,'' with many other geographic names. |
||
In [[1974]] the [[International Hydrographic Organization]] (IHO) released technical resolution A.4.2.6 independently of this dispute. This resolution is frequently referred to, although it only gives general guidance. It endorses the principle that when the sharing countries of a geographical feature do not agree on a common name, the different names should be recognized simultaneously. |
In [[1974]] the [[International Hydrographic Organization]] (IHO) released technical resolution A.4.2.6 independently of this dispute. This resolution is frequently referred to, although it only gives general guidance. It endorses the principle that when the sharing countries of a geographical feature do not agree on a common name, the different names should be recognized simultaneously. |
||
In [[1977]], the 3rd UN Conference on the Standardization of Geographic Names ([[UNCSGN]]) adopted resolution III/20 entitled "Names of Features beyond a Single Sovereignty." The resolution recommended that, "when countries sharing a given geographical feature do not agree on a common name, it should be a general rule of cartography that the name used by each of the countries concerned will be accepted. A policy of accepting only one or some of such names while excluding the rest would be inconsistent as well as inexpedient in practice." |
|||
⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
In [[1995]], South Korea deleted ''Japan Sea'' from its official nautical charts. Before then, South Korea's nautical charts showed both ''Japan Sea'' and ''Tong Hae'' (the then used romanization of ''Donghae''), out of respect for international conventions. |
In [[1995]], South Korea deleted ''Japan Sea'' from its official nautical charts. Before then, South Korea's nautical charts showed both ''Japan Sea'' and ''Tong Hae'' (the then used romanization of ''Donghae''), out of respect for international conventions. |
||
In [[1997]], South Korea raised the issue again at the 7th UNCSGN and Japan opposed. The issue was not addressed but the resolution III/20 ( |
In [[1997]], South Korea raised the issue again at the 7th UNCSGN and Japan opposed. The issue was not addressed but the resolution III/20 (see above) is recollected, which urges Japan and South Korea to reach a consensus. To date, however, neither country is willing to compromise their position, although Korea suggests that both names be used simultaneously until the dispute is resolved. |
||
⚫ | In [[1997]], Rand McNally, one of the largest mapmaker in the United States, adopted a policy of concurrent use of both names, East Sea and Sea of Japan. This practice was followed by Microsoft Encarta 97 World Atlas. The Times (U.K.), Financial Times, Encyclopedia Britannica, MSN Encarta, Rand McNally, Columbia Encyclopedia, About.com, and others have responded similarly, usually including "East Sea" as the secondary label. |
||
⚫ | In [[1999]], the National Geographic Society recognized that the name was legitimately disputed by South Korea. Under its policy (if a geographical feature is shared by more than one nation, and its name is disputed, use the most commonly recognized form of the name first and label the disputed name in parentheses), the Sea of Japan appears as the primary label and the East Sea appears below in parentheses. [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/maps/updates/seaofjapan.html] |
||
In [[2002]], the [[University of Southern California]] published their Sea of Korea maps digital archive on the Internet, consisting of 172 maps made between 17th and 19th centuries. The names of seas begin to appear on maps beginning in the 18th century, 95 of which called the sea "Sea of Korea" or "Eastern Sea" while "Sea of Japan" is found only on one map. Of the 19th century maps, "Sea of Japan" is found on 9, "Sea of Korea" is found on 30. Among all 165 maps in the collection, 135 used "Sea of Korea" or "Oriental Sea" while only 10 used "Sea of Japan." [http://www.usc.edu/isd/archives/arc/digarchives/sea-korea/] [pnclink.org/annual/annual2004/2004%20Prroceeding/PDF/101902.pdf] |
|||
In [[2002]], South Korea raised the issue again at the 8th UNCSGN. Japan objected again and the issue was not addressed. |
In [[2002]], South Korea raised the issue again at the 8th UNCSGN. Japan objected again and the issue was not addressed. |
||
In 2002, the [[International Hydrographic Organization]] (IHO) distributed a circular letter asking for a vote for omitting pages containing the Sea of Japan from the fourth edition of |
In 2002, the [[International Hydrographic Organization]] (IHO) distributed a circular letter asking for a vote for omitting pages containing the Sea of Japan from the fourth edition of "Limits of Oceans and Seas." After Japan's objection, the IHO withdrew the letter. |
||
Around the same time, the volunteer Korean cyber-organization [[VANK]] began an aggressive [[e-mail campaign]]. They targeted webmasters insisting that ''Sea of Japan'' is a shadow of the colonial period and thus its use on the site was inappropriate and [[racism|racist]]. |
Around the same time, the volunteer Korean cyber-organization [[VANK]] began an aggressive [[e-mail campaign]]. They targeted webmasters insisting that ''Sea of Japan'' is a shadow of the colonial period and thus its use on the site was inappropriate and [[racism|racist]]. |
||
On [[April 23]], [[2004]], the [[United Nations]] affirmed the principle that it will continue using the name ''Sea of Japan'' in its official documents to refer to the body of water encircled by Japan, the Korean Peninsula |
On [[April 23]], [[2004]], the [[United Nations]] affirmed the principle that it will continue using the name ''Sea of Japan'' in its official documents to refer to the body of water encircled by Japan, the Korean Peninsula and Russia, with the Japanese government in a written document. However, it has agreed to leave the topic open for further discussion. In a letter to South Korea, it was explained that the UN was not determining the validity of either name, but using the currently most widely used term until the parties resolved the disagreement. |
||
==Arguments== |
==Arguments== |
||
Line 39: | Line 47: | ||
===Geographical reasons=== |
===Geographical reasons=== |
||
Japanese groups argue that as a [[marginal sea]] of the [[Pacific Ocean]], the sea should be named for Japan. South Korean groups |
Japanese groups argue that as a [[marginal sea]] of the [[Pacific Ocean]], the sea should be named for Japan. South Korean groups argue that the sea is located at the eastern end of the Asian continent, and thus should be called ''East Sea.'' Similar nomenclature for a body of water can be found in the example of the North Sea, which derives its name from its location relative to the European continent. |
||
===Historical reasons=== |
===Historical reasons=== |
||
Both sides use a selective sample of old maps to support their claim. South Koreans use old maps that show names other than ''Sea of Japan'', whereas the Japanese use maps to demonstrate that the said name was in use before their imperial time. Many old maps are ambiguous and some even do not include Korea or Japan. |
Both sides use a selective sample of old maps to support their claim. South Koreans use old maps that show names other than ''Sea of Japan'', whereas the Japanese use maps to demonstrate that the said name was in use before their imperial time. Many old maps are ambiguous and some even do not include Korea or Japan. |
||
Japanese groups argue that the term ''Sea of Japan'' was originally named by Westerners and became the de-facto standard before Japan gained commercial and political influence in the region. |
Japanese groups argue that the term ''Sea of Japan'' was originally named by Westerners and became the de-facto standard before Japan gained commercial and political influence in the region. |
||
South Korean groups claim historical precedence of the name ''East Sea'', and argue that this should be restored. They regard the dominance of the name ''Sea of Japan'' a reflection of Japan's imperial past. Until 1870, even some Japanese maps referred to East Sea as the "Sea of Chosen," including Takahasi Kageyasu's 1810 Sinteibankoku zenzu, Abe Kinin's 1838 Bankoku zenzu, Sugita Gendan's 1850 Chigaku seisozu, Matsuda Rokuzan's 1855 Chikyubankoku zenzu, and the 1870 Meizi kaiteibankoku yochibunzu. Part of the dispute boils down to the disagreement over when ''Sea of Japan'' became the de facto name. Japanese groups claim dates in the early [[19th century]], whereas Korean groups claim dates on the early [[20th century]] when Korea was colonized by Japan. |
|||
====List of pertinent maps and studies==== |
|||
This is a list of pertinent studies and maps done by various parties involving maps of the region prior to the beginning of the 20th century. |
|||
A July [[2001]] survey by Korea of 377 mostly 18th century maps in the British National Library showed that of the maps which name the sea, 72 refer to it as Sea of Korea and/or East Sea, and 10 use Sea of Japan. [http://www.korea.net/news/issues/html/eastsea_world_3.html] |
A July [[2001]] survey by Korea of 377 mostly 18th century maps in the British National Library showed that of the maps which name the sea, 72 refer to it as Sea of Korea and/or East Sea, and 10 use Sea of Japan. [http://www.korea.net/news/issues/html/eastsea_world_3.html] |
||
In [[2002]], |
In December [[2002]], South Korea produced a report on the names used on 228 maps published prior to 1800 that are held by the U.S. Library of Congress, showing that two-thirds of the maps naming the sea between Korea and Japan used terms favorable to Korea's position. Of the 103 maps that named the sea, 66 percent named it the Sea of Korea, East Sea, or variants. [http://www.korea.net/News/Issues/issueDetailView.asp?board_no=350&title=East%20Sea%20Map%20Study] |
||
In September [[2003]], the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan]] published a report [http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/maritime/japan/study-f.html] on a field study of antique maps possessed by the [[British Library]] and the [[University of Cambridge]] from October 2002 to June 2003, to examine whether the name "Sea of Japan" is recorded in the maps published in Europe between 1801 and 1861. Among these maps , there were 37 maps [http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/maritime/japan/study-l1.html] containing the areas surrounding the Sea of Japan in the British Library, of which 32 or 86.5% recorded the name "Sea of Japan" and 5 recorded the name "Sea of Korea." Among 21 maps [http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/maritime/japan/study-l1.html#2] containing the area in the University of Cambridge, 18 or 85.7% recorded the name "Sea of Japan" and 3 recorded the name "Sea of Korea." |
|||
In December [[2002]], South Korea produced a report on the names used on 228 maps published prior to 1800 that are held by the U.S. Library of Congress, showing that two-thirds of the maps naming the sea between Korea and Japan used terms favorable to Korea's position, assuming Oriental Sea and East Sea are essentially synonymous. Of the 103 maps that named the sea, 66 percent named it the Sea of Korea, East (or Oriental) Sea, or East Sea and/or Sea of Korea. [http://www.korea.net/News/Issues/issueDetailView.asp?board_no=350&title=East%20Sea%20Map%20Study] |
|||
In |
In March [[2004]], the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan]] published a report [http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/maritime/japan/study-2f.pdf] with the list of maps it investigated [http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/maritime/japan/study-2l.pdf] on the maps at the [[Bibliotheque Nationale de France]]. The study of 1,495 maps possessed by the Bibliotheque Nationale de France and published between the 16th and 19th century purports to show that of 407 maps for which a name was recorded, 249 bore the name "Sea of Japan" and 60 bore the name "Sea of Korea." It claims that no maps were found that bore the name "East Sea." Furthermore, of the maps published in the first half of the 19th century, it claims that 90.0% or 99 maps bore the name "Sea of Japan" and of the maps published in the latter half of the 19th century 100% or 105 maps bore the same name. |
||
In |
In July [[2005]], the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan]] published a report [http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/area/nihonkai_k/usa/honbun.html] ([http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/maritime/japan/study-3.html English abstract]) of the investigation it conducted on the dispute. According to the report, the investigators from [[Geographical Survey Institute of Japan]] looked into maps published between 1300 and 1900 at the [[U.S. National Archives and Records Administration]], and from 1,435 maps [http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/area/nihonkai_k/usa/pdfs/maplist.pdf] which mention the disputed sea, it claims 1,110 maps use ''Sea of Japan''. |
||
As of September [[2005]], South Korea's [[Ministry of Maritime Affairs & Fisheries]] reports that by its count, of 763 historic maps in various government and university libraries, 440 maps use Sea of Korea, East Sea or variants, and 123 use Sea of Japan or variants. [http://www.momaf.go.kr/eng/intl/eastsea/g_eastsea03.asp] |
|||
In July [[2005]], the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan]] published a report [http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/area/nihonkai_k/usa/honbun.html] ([http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/maritime/japan/study-3.html English abstract]) of the investigation it conducted on the dispute. According to the report, the investigators from [[Geographical Survey Institute of Japan]] looked into maps published between 1300 and 1900 at the [[U.S. National Archives and Records Administration]], and from 1,435 maps [http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/area/nihonkai_k/usa/pdfs/maplist.pdf] which mention the disputed sea, 1,110 maps use ''Sea of Japan''. |
|||
====Current day naming==== |
|||
Some publishers and media outlets have responded to the dispute by either adapting both names on maps, or—in very rare cases—leave the area blank, until a consensus can be reached between Japan and Korea. Though some have adapted to using both names or just ''East Sea'', most publishers and media outlets still use ''Sea of Japan'' alone. |
|||
⚫ | In [[1999]], National Geographic recognized that the name was legitimately disputed by South Korea. Under its policy (if a geographical feature is shared by more than one nation, and its name is disputed, use the most commonly recognized form of the name first and label the disputed name in parentheses), the Sea of Japan appears as the primary label and the East Sea appears below in parentheses. [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/maps/updates/seaofjapan.html] |
||
⚫ | In [[1997]], Rand McNally, one of the largest |
||
===Ownership=== |
===Ownership=== |
||
Some Koreans argue that ''Sea of Japan'' implies ownership over an international body of water. Japanese counter by saying that the name of a body of water does not imply ownership. It is merely a name. Some Koreans |
Some Koreans argue that ''Sea of Japan'' implies ownership over an international body of water. Japanese counter by saying that the name of a body of water does not imply ownership. It is merely a name. Some Koreans argue that the name ''Sea of Japan'' is related to ownership because it was the Japanese delegates who submitted the name to the IHB when Korea was under Japanese colonial rule. |
||
===Ambiguity=== |
===Ambiguity=== |
||
Japanese groups claim that the name ''East Sea'' is not suitable as an international geographic name, because it could refers to various places including the neighboring [[East China Sea]]. Much of this argument is based on translations of local names into English. Commonly cited potential confusions are the [[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]] name for the [[South China Sea]] ''Bien Dong'', which literally means East Sea, or the [[Baltic Sea]] which in many European languages is called the equivalent of ''East Sea''. The Koreans state that this is irrelevant as there are other geographical places that share similar or the same name. It is sometimes also argued that ''East Sea'' is a mere translation of the local Korean name Donghae, and thus not really an English name per se. |
Japanese groups claim that the name ''East Sea'' is not suitable as an international geographic name, because it could refers to various places including the neighboring [[East China Sea]]. Much of this argument is based on translations of local names into English. Commonly cited potential confusions are the [[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]] name for the [[South China Sea]] ''Bien Dong'', which literally means East Sea, or the [[Baltic Sea]] which in many European languages is called the equivalent of ''East Sea''. The Koreans state that this is irrelevant as there are other geographical places that share similar or the same name. It is sometimes also argued that ''East Sea'' is a mere translation of the local Korean name Donghae, and thus not really an English name per se. |
||
===Precedence=== |
===Precedence=== |
||
Some Japanese groups insist that renaming or showing both simultaneously runs counter to the spirit of geographic standardization and will be a troubling precedent. Since the name ''Sea of Japan'' is the internationally established name, some people think renaming is an unnecessary complication. Koreans disagree stating that setting the name right is more important. |
Some Japanese groups insist that renaming or showing both simultaneously runs counter to the spirit of geographic standardization and will be a troubling precedent. Since the name ''Sea of Japan'' is the internationally established name, some people think renaming is an unnecessary complication. Koreans disagree stating that setting the name right is more important. |
Revision as of 18:03, 7 September 2005
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a8/Dotnotsoj.jpg/220px-Dotnotsoj.jpg)
There is a long-running dispute over the name of the Sea of Japan between Japan and Korea. The two countries disagree over the sea's international name. The Japanese government insists that it be called "Sea of Japan." The South Korean government challenges this name, contending it is a symbol of Japan's imperialistic past, and insists on the name "East Sea." It points to its own tally of historic maps referring to the sea as Sea of Korea/Corea/Chosen or East/Oriental Sea. The North Korean government use East Sea of Korea in its English publications.
- The Japanese call it the Sea of Japan or sometimes Japan Sea
- North Koreans call it the East Sea of Korea
- South Koreans call it the East Sea
The South Korean government and media use East Sea consistently in their publications. Since the 1990s, South Korea have increased their campaign efforts to change the sea's official international name. Neither the UN (UNCSGN) nor the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) have so far determined the validity of either name, but are using the more commonly recognized "Sea of Japan" until the parties resolve the dispute.
Many international and media organizations use the names Sea of Japan and East Sea together.
The dispute does not attempt to get the respective countries to adopt each other's preferred terms in their own languages. South Koreans generally do not object to Japanese maps calling the sea 日本海 (which translates as Japan Sea), and Japanese do not object to Korean maps calling it 동해 (which translates as Eastern Sea).
History of the dispute
According to South Korea's count, it is mainly called "Sea of Korea/Corea" or "East/Oriental Sea" on most maps prior to Japan's imperialistic expansion. According to Japan's count, this sea is mainly called Sea of Japan on most maps earlier than the 19th century, but some maps call it by various names including Bay of Korea, Chinese Ocean, Sea of Corea, Oriental Sea, or Sea of Korea."
At the 1919 meeting of the International Hydrographic Bureau (IHB) to officially determine internationally acceptable names of bodies of water, Japanese delegates registered the name Sea of Japan for the sea. Korea could not participate during these talks because it was under Japanese colonial rule.
In 1928, Limits of Oceans and Seas, the first edition of the guideline by the IHB used Japan Sea, with many other geographic names.
In 1974 the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) released technical resolution A.4.2.6 independently of this dispute. This resolution is frequently referred to, although it only gives general guidance. It endorses the principle that when the sharing countries of a geographical feature do not agree on a common name, the different names should be recognized simultaneously.
In 1977, the 3rd UN Conference on the Standardization of Geographic Names (UNCSGN) adopted resolution III/20 entitled "Names of Features beyond a Single Sovereignty." The resolution recommended that, "when countries sharing a given geographical feature do not agree on a common name, it should be a general rule of cartography that the name used by each of the countries concerned will be accepted. A policy of accepting only one or some of such names while excluding the rest would be inconsistent as well as inexpedient in practice."
In 1992, South Korea raised the issue at the 6th (UNCSGN). Japan objected and the issue was not addressed.
In 1995, South Korea deleted Japan Sea from its official nautical charts. Before then, South Korea's nautical charts showed both Japan Sea and Tong Hae (the then used romanization of Donghae), out of respect for international conventions.
In 1997, South Korea raised the issue again at the 7th UNCSGN and Japan opposed. The issue was not addressed but the resolution III/20 (see above) is recollected, which urges Japan and South Korea to reach a consensus. To date, however, neither country is willing to compromise their position, although Korea suggests that both names be used simultaneously until the dispute is resolved.
In 1997, Rand McNally, one of the largest mapmaker in the United States, adopted a policy of concurrent use of both names, East Sea and Sea of Japan. This practice was followed by Microsoft Encarta 97 World Atlas. The Times (U.K.), Financial Times, Encyclopedia Britannica, MSN Encarta, Rand McNally, Columbia Encyclopedia, About.com, and others have responded similarly, usually including "East Sea" as the secondary label.
In 1999, the National Geographic Society recognized that the name was legitimately disputed by South Korea. Under its policy (if a geographical feature is shared by more than one nation, and its name is disputed, use the most commonly recognized form of the name first and label the disputed name in parentheses), the Sea of Japan appears as the primary label and the East Sea appears below in parentheses. [1]
In 2002, the University of Southern California published their Sea of Korea maps digital archive on the Internet, consisting of 172 maps made between 17th and 19th centuries. The names of seas begin to appear on maps beginning in the 18th century, 95 of which called the sea "Sea of Korea" or "Eastern Sea" while "Sea of Japan" is found only on one map. Of the 19th century maps, "Sea of Japan" is found on 9, "Sea of Korea" is found on 30. Among all 165 maps in the collection, 135 used "Sea of Korea" or "Oriental Sea" while only 10 used "Sea of Japan." [2] [pnclink.org/annual/annual2004/2004%20Prroceeding/PDF/101902.pdf]
In 2002, South Korea raised the issue again at the 8th UNCSGN. Japan objected again and the issue was not addressed.
In 2002, the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) distributed a circular letter asking for a vote for omitting pages containing the Sea of Japan from the fourth edition of "Limits of Oceans and Seas." After Japan's objection, the IHO withdrew the letter.
Around the same time, the volunteer Korean cyber-organization VANK began an aggressive e-mail campaign. They targeted webmasters insisting that Sea of Japan is a shadow of the colonial period and thus its use on the site was inappropriate and racist.
On April 23, 2004, the United Nations affirmed the principle that it will continue using the name Sea of Japan in its official documents to refer to the body of water encircled by Japan, the Korean Peninsula and Russia, with the Japanese government in a written document. However, it has agreed to leave the topic open for further discussion. In a letter to South Korea, it was explained that the UN was not determining the validity of either name, but using the currently most widely used term until the parties resolved the disagreement.
Arguments
Both sides in the dispute have put forward a number of arguments to support their claim, either for a change, or against it. It is worth noting that many of these arguments are not supported by the respective governments, but rather by nationalist organizations.
Geographical reasons
Japanese groups argue that as a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean, the sea should be named for Japan. South Korean groups argue that the sea is located at the eastern end of the Asian continent, and thus should be called East Sea. Similar nomenclature for a body of water can be found in the example of the North Sea, which derives its name from its location relative to the European continent.
Historical reasons
Both sides use a selective sample of old maps to support their claim. South Koreans use old maps that show names other than Sea of Japan, whereas the Japanese use maps to demonstrate that the said name was in use before their imperial time. Many old maps are ambiguous and some even do not include Korea or Japan.
Japanese groups argue that the term Sea of Japan was originally named by Westerners and became the de-facto standard before Japan gained commercial and political influence in the region.
South Korean groups claim historical precedence of the name East Sea, and argue that this should be restored. They regard the dominance of the name Sea of Japan a reflection of Japan's imperial past. Until 1870, even some Japanese maps referred to East Sea as the "Sea of Chosen," including Takahasi Kageyasu's 1810 Sinteibankoku zenzu, Abe Kinin's 1838 Bankoku zenzu, Sugita Gendan's 1850 Chigaku seisozu, Matsuda Rokuzan's 1855 Chikyubankoku zenzu, and the 1870 Meizi kaiteibankoku yochibunzu. Part of the dispute boils down to the disagreement over when Sea of Japan became the de facto name. Japanese groups claim dates in the early 19th century, whereas Korean groups claim dates on the early 20th century when Korea was colonized by Japan.
A July 2001 survey by Korea of 377 mostly 18th century maps in the British National Library showed that of the maps which name the sea, 72 refer to it as Sea of Korea and/or East Sea, and 10 use Sea of Japan. [3]
In December 2002, South Korea produced a report on the names used on 228 maps published prior to 1800 that are held by the U.S. Library of Congress, showing that two-thirds of the maps naming the sea between Korea and Japan used terms favorable to Korea's position. Of the 103 maps that named the sea, 66 percent named it the Sea of Korea, East Sea, or variants. [4]
In September 2003, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan published a report [5] on a field study of antique maps possessed by the British Library and the University of Cambridge from October 2002 to June 2003, to examine whether the name "Sea of Japan" is recorded in the maps published in Europe between 1801 and 1861. Among these maps , there were 37 maps [6] containing the areas surrounding the Sea of Japan in the British Library, of which 32 or 86.5% recorded the name "Sea of Japan" and 5 recorded the name "Sea of Korea." Among 21 maps [7] containing the area in the University of Cambridge, 18 or 85.7% recorded the name "Sea of Japan" and 3 recorded the name "Sea of Korea."
In March 2004, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan published a report [8] with the list of maps it investigated [9] on the maps at the Bibliotheque Nationale de France. The study of 1,495 maps possessed by the Bibliotheque Nationale de France and published between the 16th and 19th century purports to show that of 407 maps for which a name was recorded, 249 bore the name "Sea of Japan" and 60 bore the name "Sea of Korea." It claims that no maps were found that bore the name "East Sea." Furthermore, of the maps published in the first half of the 19th century, it claims that 90.0% or 99 maps bore the name "Sea of Japan" and of the maps published in the latter half of the 19th century 100% or 105 maps bore the same name.
In July 2005, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan published a report [10] (English abstract) of the investigation it conducted on the dispute. According to the report, the investigators from Geographical Survey Institute of Japan looked into maps published between 1300 and 1900 at the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, and from 1,435 maps [11] which mention the disputed sea, it claims 1,110 maps use Sea of Japan.
As of September 2005, South Korea's Ministry of Maritime Affairs & Fisheries reports that by its count, of 763 historic maps in various government and university libraries, 440 maps use Sea of Korea, East Sea or variants, and 123 use Sea of Japan or variants. [12]
Ownership
Some Koreans argue that Sea of Japan implies ownership over an international body of water. Japanese counter by saying that the name of a body of water does not imply ownership. It is merely a name. Some Koreans argue that the name Sea of Japan is related to ownership because it was the Japanese delegates who submitted the name to the IHB when Korea was under Japanese colonial rule.
Ambiguity
Japanese groups claim that the name East Sea is not suitable as an international geographic name, because it could refers to various places including the neighboring East China Sea. Much of this argument is based on translations of local names into English. Commonly cited potential confusions are the Vietnamese name for the South China Sea Bien Dong, which literally means East Sea, or the Baltic Sea which in many European languages is called the equivalent of East Sea. The Koreans state that this is irrelevant as there are other geographical places that share similar or the same name. It is sometimes also argued that East Sea is a mere translation of the local Korean name Donghae, and thus not really an English name per se.
Precedence
Some Japanese groups insist that renaming or showing both simultaneously runs counter to the spirit of geographic standardization and will be a troubling precedent. Since the name Sea of Japan is the internationally established name, some people think renaming is an unnecessary complication. Koreans disagree stating that setting the name right is more important.
See also
External links
- East Sea Map Study - by the Korean Overseas Information Service
- Sea of Japan - Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs defends the use of Sea of Japan.