East Sea still not widely used on maps
Author: Caitlin Dempsey
• 10/19/07 • Categorized as Geography
Matt from the About Geography site recently reintroduced the question of “should geographers and cartographers change the name of the Sea of Japan to the East Sea in deference to Korean sensibilities?” Since 2002, Korea has been campaigning to officially change the name from Sea of Japan to the East Sea. The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) originally called for requiring both names be used on maps in 2002, citing a 1974 resolution that calls for use of all relevant names in cases of conflict. The IHO stepped out of the debate when it became too contentious and has since urged Japan and Korea to come to a consensus on their own. The Korea Times is reporting that a recent review of 295 maps printed by 45 countries shows that most maps still do not use East Sea. 208 maps only used Sea of Japan to describe the area with another 73 maps using both East Sea and Sea of Japan. Only three percent (nine maps) use only East Sea and the remaining 5 maps don’t label the sea at all.
This map requires modification.
It should be East Sea (Sea of Japan).
This simple change will be grateful.
Japanese had been put great efforts to change international consensus by lobby and power. They were very good such a distortion many times. (e.g., they always say that many Asian World War victims in China, Korea, Philippines, etc., are not their responsibility.)
Using the figures supplied by Korea Times, 26% of maps it surveyed use both toponyms. An additional 3% use only the designation East Sea. Thus, 29% of the maps surveyed use the toponym East Sea. I’d say this is fairly widespread. Furthermore, my fairly new (maybe 2007), large National Geographic wall map in my classroom uses both designations. Also, my Prentice Hall high-school world geography textbook uses East Sea in the four maps that appear in the chapter which covers Japan and the Koreas. However, the textbook does not use the two toponyms elsewhere, e.g. in the atlas section.
The practice of using local toponyms can be employed by Google maps because it can show local usage depending on where the person and his/her server are located. Not so easily done for printed maps and atlases. Should the Korea Strait also be named “Korea Strait (Japan Strait)”? Should the Arabian Sea also be called Indian Sea or Pakistani Sea? I’ve heard that in Indonesia they call the ocean to their west the Indonesian Ocean. Perhaps if rampant nationalism slowed down there would not be such interest in this cartographic problem. Not much hope for that.
Using the same rationale and arguments, deference to a particular sovereignty’s sensibilities, especially when territorial disputes are involved, it should then be proposed/argued that the South China Sea should officially be renamed and internationally be recognized by another less ‘territorial’ name, say, Southeast Asian Sea or Sea of Southeast Asia or Southeast Sea. In the same way, the East China Sea should also be renamed the East Asia Sea.
Why does Korea stick to only East-Sea?
If it is not a childish harassment against Japan, it should be requested to change to West-sea from Yellow -Sea, and to South-Sea from East-China-Sea.
“West-Sea” and “South-Sea” are public name in Korea as same as “East-Sea”, isn’t it?
Claim to rename other two seas also, against China, if it is not a childish harassment against Japan.
Even though the name is “Sea of Japan” now, it is not owned by Japan only.
And even if it will be changed to “East Sea” it won’t be owned by Korea only.
Don’t dream selfish fantasy.
It’s more an issue of geography… if japan did not exist, there would not be a sea, so therefore it is appropriately named the sea of japan. if there was no japan, the east sea would simply be another part of the pacific ocean. in this time of tragedy,be thankful that japan exists… If Japan was not there busan and the entire east side of korea, as well as the russian coast would have been hit with full force. as it, japan took the full brunt of the force, and so many people are suffering becuase of this disaster. i can only hope that there will not be such a big number of lives lost.