The secretariat of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) has compiled a draft to continue using the current guidelines that describe the sea area between the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese archipelago solely as the "Japan Sea," The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.
South Korea has been appealing for a revision of the guidelines to include the name it uses -- the East Sea -- together with the Japan Sea.
If the draft guidelines are endorsed at the IHO general meeting scheduled for April next year, the sole description of the Japan Sea would be maintained.
On Friday, the IHO secretariat announced a report that included the draft. However, in the report, the IHO also proposed continuously considering the description of the sea area, giving consideration to the South Korea side.
The IHO publishes guidelines, titled "Limits of Oceans and Seas," that describe the names of oceans and seas in the world, as a reference for each country to make charts. From the 1929 first edition to the latest edition, the sea area has been described as the Japan Sea.
However, South Korea has repeated its calls in the international community that East Sea should be used together with Japan Sea, and also has asked the IHO to revise the guidelines.
The IHO secretariat held unofficial meetings with those concerned, including Japan, South Korea and North Korea, two times beginning in spring this year to discuss the appropriateness of the guidelines revision. However, no agreement was reached between the Japanese and South Korean positions.
The report, compiled by the secretariat with the meetings in mind, said that the current guidelines can be used officially as they are.
On the other hand, the report also mentioned that the IHO would continue to discuss the description of the sea area, if needed.
A source close to the Japanese government said, "[The report] showed that there is still room for discussion, and also might take into account South Korea's position."
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
