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| Sea of Japan (East Sea) | ||||||||
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 Map showing the location of the Sea of Japan (East Sea). |
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| English: Japan Sea | ||||||||
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| English: Korea East Sea | ||||||||
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| English: East Sea | ||||||||
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| English: Japanese Sea |
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, bordered by Japan, South Korea, North Korea and Russia. It is referred to in North Korea as the Korea East Sea and in South Korea as the East Sea.[1][2] Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure.[3] There is currently a dispute at the United Nations over its official name.
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The Sea of Japan is bound by the Russian mainland and Sakhalin island to the north, the Korean Peninsula to the west, and the Japanese islands of Hokkaidō, Honshū, and Kyūshū to the east.
It is connected to other seas by five shallow straits: the Strait of Tartary between the Asian mainland and Sakhalin; La Perouse Strait between the islands of Sakhalin and Hokkaidō; the Tsugaru Strait between the islands of Hokkaidō and Honshū; the Kanmon Straits between the islands of Honshū and Kyūshū; and the Korea Strait (genkainada) between the Korean Peninsula and the island of Kyūshū. The Korea Strait is composed of the Western Channel and the Tsushima Strait, on either side of Tsushima Island.
The sea has three major basins: the Yamato Basin in the southeast; the Japan Basin in the north; and the Tsushima Basin (Ulleung Basin) in the southwest. The Japan Basin has the deepest areas of the sea, while the Tsushima Basin has the shallowest.
On the eastern shores, the continental shelves of the sea are wide, but on the western shores, particularly along the Korean coast, they are narrow, averaging about 30 kilometres wide.
The Tsushima Warm Current, a branch of Kuroshio Current, flows northward through the Korea Strait along the Japanese shore, and the Liman Cold Current flows southward through the Strait of Tartary along the Russian shore.
The Sea of Japan was once a landlocked sea when the land bridge of East Asia existed.[4]
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the "Japan Sea" as follows:[5]
On the Southwest. The Northeastern limit of the Eastern China Sea [From Nomo Saki (32°35'N) in Kyusyu to the South point of Hukae Sima (Goto Retto) and on through this island to Ose Saki (Cape Goto) and to Hunan Kan, the South point of Saisyu To (Quelpart), through this island to its Western extreme and thence along the parallel of 33°17' North to the mainland] and the Western limit of the Inland Sea [defined circuitously as "The Southeastern limit of the Japan Sea"].
On the Southeast. In Simonoseki Kaikyo. A line running from Nagoya Saki (130°49'E) in Kyûsû through the islands of Uma Sima and Muture Simia (33°58',5N) to Murasaki Hana (34°01'N) in Honsyû.
On the East. In the Tsugaru Kaikô. From the extremity of Siriya Saki (141°28'E) to the extremity of Esan Saki (41°48'N).
On the Northeast. In La Perouse Strait (Sôya Kaikyô). A line joining Sôni Misaki and Nishi Notoro Misaki (45°55'N).
On the North. From Cape Tuik (51°45'N) to Cape Sushcheva.
The areas in the north and the southeast are rich fishing grounds. The importance of the fishery in the sea is well illustrated by the dispute between South Korea and Japan over Liancourt Rocks. The sea is also important for its mineral deposits, particularly magnetite sands. There are also believed to be natural gas and petroleum fields. With the growth of East Asian economies, the Sea of Japan has become an increasingly important commercial waterway.
The use of the term "Sea of Japan" as the dominant appellation is a point of contention.
Both South Korea and North Korea have advocated for the end of what they consider a colonial heritage:
As a result of Korean objections to the name "Sea of Japan," some English-language publications refer to it as "Sea of Japan (East Sea)," incorporating a version of the Korean name.[11][12]
On August 27, 2007, both Korean states made separate proposals to the Ninth Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names instituted by the United Nations. The conference made no decision on the issue but called on all parties to find a commonly accepted solution. The chairman of the session stated that "individual countries could not impose specific names on the international community and standardization could only be promoted when a consensus existed."[13][14]
Media related to Sea of Japan at Wikimedia
Commons
The Wiktionary definition of Sea of JapanCoordinates: 39°34′55″N 134°34′11″E / 39.58194°N 134.56972°E
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Sea of Japan
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The Sea of Japan is a sea in the western Pacific Ocean. It is between Korea to the west, Russia to the north and Japan to the east and south. Different countries have different names for the body of water. North Korea calls it East Korea Sea.[1][2]
International Hydrographic Organization(IHO) decided to call this sea area "Sea of Japan" in 1929.
Since 1992, South Korea demands the world to use the names "East Sea" or "Sea of Korea" instead of "Sea of Japan". South Korea argues that this sea area has been called "East Sea" since early times. It is also a Korean belief that the name "East Sea" was eliminated from the maps of the world in the early 20th century while South Korea was under the rule of Japan.
On the contrary, Japan says that the name "Sea of Japan" has been used more widely than "East Sea" in Europe and America since before the 18th century. Japan also points out that if there was no Japan, there would be no sea.
Most international maps use "Sea of Japan".
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  | Efforts of the Government of Japan in Response to the Issue of the Name of the Sea of Japan (1) The 8th UNCSGN - MOFA: Efforts of the Government of Japan in Response to the Issue of the Name of the Sea of Japan |
| | Sea of Japan vs. East Sea - Sea of Japan vs. East Sea |
| | sea of japan and east sea map information page - Sea of Japan, Map of East Sea, Japanese Sea Map - worldatlas.com |
| | S Korea bid to solve sea dispute - BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | S Korea bid to solve sea dispute |
| | CHOSON SINBO - Natural Features of Korea |
| | Sea of Japan - A Globally Established Name (Video Clips) - MOFA: Sea of Japan - A Globally Established Name (Video Clips) |
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