• Register Email Updates

• >> Advanced Search
• Help

Japan's Actions at the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO)

May 2012

1. What is the IHO?

The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) is an intergovernmental organization that was established in 1921 to implement technical and scientific activities designed to achieve, among other objectives, the greatest possible uniformity in nautical charts and publications (including lighthouse lists) and the promotion of the development of hydrographic survey methods and technologies for hydrographic activities. With a membership of 80 countries, the IHO is headquartered in Monaco.

2. Limits of Oceans and Seas

(1) What is Limits of Oceans and Seas?

Limits of Oceans and Seas is an IHO publication designed to serve as guidelines on the limits and names of oceans and seas for the benefit of national hydrographic offices in compiling nautical charts.

(2) Name of the Sea of Japan

Limits of Oceans and Seas, from its first version in 1929 to the current version in 1953, consistently uses the internationally established name Sea of Japan only to refer to the sea area concerned.

The Republic of Korea (ROK) has been insisting, since the 1990s, that the name Sea of Japan be changed to "East Sea," or that both names be used together in governmental and commercial maps and maps for use by international organizations. In 1997, the ROK began to make a similar case at the IHO.

3. International Hydrographic Conference (IHO Assembly)

The International Hydrographic Conference meets every five years. The last conference was convened from 23 to 27 April this year.

Besides the budget and the five-year work programme of the IHO, the conference discussed the issue of the future policy of revising Limits of Oceans and Seas. The Conference decided to take no new decision on the revision. Thus, it was confirmed that the IHO will continue to use solely the name Sea of Japan as heretofore.

4. Developments hitherto and Japan's response

The IHO Assembly has not reached an agreement on this issue in 2002 and 2007, as did the working group subsequently established. Throughout the process, Japan has been consistently insisting that the Sea of Japan is the only name that has been established both historically and internationally to refer to the sea area concerned and that there is no need or ground for any change to be made to the practice of using the name "Sea of Japan" only in Limits of Oceans and Seas and other publications.