New York schools urged to refer to Sea of Japan as 'East Sea' too

Ridiculous and shows these kinds of concerted efforts by Koreans to engage in anti-Japan smear tactics across America.

It's pathetic how these U.S. politicians are so easily swayed by this Korean propaganda nonsense, and ignores Japanese concerns. I've read of Korean owned businesses like dry cleaners printing out material that Dodko is theirs. I even recall some wanted Korea spelled like Corea because supposedly Japan didn't want Korea to be ahead of them alphabetically.

It's the Sea of Japan, not East Sea. How petty can you get.

Grow up and stop kowtowing to this Korean anti-Japan nonsense!

@oldman_13

Don’t believe everything you read. Chinese and Korean Americans have been fighting for this change since I was in school. When I was in Junior high during the early 2000’s some of my Chinese American friends used to ask students to join in on the protest to get this change. The protests were most likely happening before my school days but it took the Board of Ed almost 20 years to make the change.

This article is simply preying on the current issue in order to entice readers.

New Jersey was one of the first places to make it official almost 10 years ago. The only reason New York stopped was because the Japanese residents went to court to challenge the change.

Why do the Koreans want to change it? It seems there is no end to their whining about everything connected with Japan. The French call the English Channel La Manche but don't make a fuss about it.

It would be confusing to call it the East Sea. How many such eastern seas are there on this planet.

Korea has Takeshima, give Japan its Sea

Without Japan, it would simply be “The Pacific Ocean.” Japan is the geographical feature that defines the body of water in question.

And in other news, America is NOT lobbying for the Gulf of Mexico to be changed to the “Texas Pond” and for the Caribbean Sea to be renamed “Sea of Florida.”

The days of "Sea of Japan" are numbered.

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2019/01/21/2019012101322.html

IHO Calls on Japan to Use 'East Sea' Along 'Sea of Japan'

January 21, 2019 11:55

The international maritime body has recommended a solution to a perpetual spat between Korea and Japan that has incensed patriots and filled column inches on both sides without being of much interest to anyone else.

The International Hydrographic Organization called on Japan to consider referring to the body of water between the two countries as both the "East Sea" and the "Sea of Japan," the Yomiuri Shimbun reported Friday.

Remember, the IHO seeks to end this dispute by the next year with a near unanimous global consensus behind the dual name, with the sole opponent being Japan.

There is not a single country at IHO other than Japan that backs "Sea of Japan" name.

A little clarification. The South Korean side does not want to change the name entirely to East Sea, but to simply have the name East Sea included together with Sea of Japan. They want both names. Japan, on the other hand, vehemently refuses to accept any additional names, and insists that the only acceptable name for the sea is Sea of Japan.

I haven't done my deep research on this topic, i briefly checked it out, and it does seem that the name Sea of Japan was popularized by Europeans, however, the annexation of Korea did help silence the Korean side for over 100 years. The South Korean claim for East Sea seems more valid than the Japanese claim. Either way, they have a valid historical claim, and i see no harm in including a second historical name for the sea in addition to the internationally popularized one. It is rather unacceptable for Japan to try to block a second name as if they own the sea and have copyrights for it.

The Japanese government says the name became established in Europe around the end of the 18th century.

What did the Japanese call it before the end of the 18th century.

Fact is, like the English Channel/La Manche, both names will coexist.

Are the Japanese okay with both the East Sea and the Sea of Japan?

If yes, end of story. If no, that’s petty.

The South Korean side does not want to change the name entirely to East Sea, but to simply have the name East Sea included together with Sea of Japan. They want both names. Japan, on the other hand, vehemently refuses to accept any additional names, and insists that the only acceptable name for the sea is Sea of Japan.

Perfectly reasonable to me. Don’t be selfish and childish Japan.

I wonder how the Korean American residents feel about South Korea pulling out the Itell pact with Japan and putting American lives in danger?

Tempest in a teacup. Shall we change "Gulf of Mexico" to "Gulf of America"? (Sheesh, I hope Trump doesn't read this.)

A sea by any other name would smell as salty.

When I was a kid in school in NYC, we referred to that body of water as the Japan Sea. I don't see myself changing and since this is non-binding, neither should anyone in the state.

Next thing you know, the Koreans will be campaigning to change the tongue twister to "She sells East Sea shells down by the East Sea shore."

There are plural sea areas named "East Sea" around the world.

For example, China calls the East China Sea "Tonghai", which also means "East Sea" in China.

South China Sea is called "Biendong" in Vietnam, which means "East Sea" in Vietnamese and thus "East Sea" is officially used as an English name for the water by the Government of Vietnam.

A name that means "East Sea" is frequently used in Europe as well, such as "Ostsee" in Germany and "Ostersjon" in Sweden both for Baltic Sea which mean "East Sea" in each language.

Thus, "East Sea" can hardly be an international specific name for a certain limited area of water. Using such a name used for many different waters in the world as an international name must bring confusion among navigators worldwide.

The ROK, in this regard, calls seas surrounding the Korean Peninsula "Sohae", "Namhae", and "Donghae/Tonghae" depending on the direction from the country (which will be “West Sea”, “South Sea”, and “East Sea” respectively if shown in English). However, the ROK insists on changing only the name - Sea of Japan (Japan Sea) to "East Sea", and have never asserted changing the Yellow Sea to "West Sea" and the East China Sea to "South Sea".

Pretty cut and dry one here. Some local politicians want some campaign help and with Chinese and Korean communities making up the number 1 and 3 Asian populations, this pushing for a name inclusion is a smart move on the politicians part. Anybody who remotely cares about geopolitical in school, already knows both names and I'm betting school teachers in NY have already been teaching both names unofficially for years

As an American, this is what I hate about Korean-Americans. On the one hand, they complain about their 'perpetual foreigner status', yet, on the other hand, they INSIST on bringing their Korean-related baggage with them to America. If you are truly American, you would've probably left that baggage behind. Same thing with Chinese Americans and how they insisted on putting a comfort woman statue in the middle of Chinatown, San Francisco. Virtually ALL Americans besides the 2% of Chinese and Korean-Americans label the Sea of Japan the 'Sea of Japan'. 98% of Americans (besides the same 2% - at most) also have virtually no idea what the comfort woman issue is and - if they do - know it is high time to put that issue aside.

Cannot have it both ways.

We should call the Gulf of Mexico "The West Gulf" because calling it what it is now, is too offensive for Florida residents. 2000 years it was not called Gulf of Mexico. How come 2000 years into the present it is the Gulf of Mexico?

As an American, this is what I hate about Korean-Americans. On the one hand, they complain about their 'perpetual foreigner status', yet, on the other hand, they INSIST on bringing their Korean-related baggage with them to America.

As an American this is what you hate about other Americans? I don’t know if you know this, but the original colonies were founded upon people bringing their baggage with them from Europe. Furthermore, many of the things we have in America is because of cultures bringing their baggage with them. Also, do Americans and Europeans not bring their baggage with them when they go abroad to places. If there were not the case, then many people wouldn’t complain about the differences between Japan and their own countries nor the things they want Japan to do.

Virtually ALL Americans besides the 2% of Chinese and Korean-Americans label the Sea of Japan the 'Sea of Japan'. 98% of Americans (besides the same 2% - at most)

That is far from the case. I can admit that from Elementary to High school the books labeled it the Sea of Japan. However, at the University level, it uses both names. Furthermore, Virigina, California, Florida, Washington State, and more use both names. Also, McGraw-Hill has used both names since the turn of the century. That is the biggest textbook provider in the US.

It's not the Koreans' constant bellyaching that annoys so much as their determination to draw outsiders into their interminable disputes with Japan. Sorry, guys, but it's your fight. I'll sit over there in the bleachers and watch --- when I'm not focused on about 30 other things I'd rather be doing. Pass the popcorn.

As an American this is what you hate about other Americans? I don’t know if you know this, but the original colonies were founded upon people bringing their baggage with them from Europe. Furthermore, many of the things we have in America is because of cultures bringing their baggage with them. Also, do Americans and Europeans not bring their baggage with them when they go abroad to places. If there were not the case, then many people wouldn’t complain about the differences between Japan and their own countries nor the things they want Japan to do.

Bringing their own culture and tradition in the baggage with them is making America America. Sounds good to me except when a specific ethnic group's baggage filled only with seeds of conflicts and hatred toward another specific ethnic group in the same country.

expatToday  12:18 pm JST

I believe China uses the same name for that body of water as the Koreans do - at least in written form.

You believe incorrectly. In China it is called Riben Hai 日本海 "Sea of Japan".

In China, "East Sea" Dong Hai 東海　refers to the East China Sea.

Oh good grief.

Way to mess with sailors around the world. Doesn't sound easy to communicate when it is a mixed of 2 non defining words.

In 2007 textbooks in the U.S. adopted the use of of "East Sea" in brackets after "Sea of Japan". Although it is common knowledge that "Sea of Japan" does not signify ownership by Japan, any more than the Gulf of Mexico or the English Channel, this was South Korea's reason for pressing for it's inclusion:

"The Center for Information on Korean Culture of the Academy of Korean Studies said, "The changes are attributable to our project to identify true Korean territory and history to foreigners, such as providing explanations about Korean territory to foreign textbook editors."

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2007/09/04/2007090461012.html

It has always been labeled "Sea of Japan" on every map I have ever seen. If that has to change, perhaps it should be labeled "Sea of Japan/East Sea."

Was watching a Korean drama, and they called it The East Sea. For them, that is the name.

1glennToday  02:50 pm JST

It has always been labeled "Sea of Japan" on every map I have ever seen. If that has to change, perhaps it should be labeled "Sea of Japan/East Sea."

Why does it have to change? And what is gained from it?

Was watching a Korean drama, and they called it The East Sea. For them, that is the name.

No they didn't. They called it Donghae. And that's fine. I don't hear Japan insisting that the "Sea of Japan" should be renamed "Nihonkai" because for them that is the name.

Judging from the responses, the Japanese care about this as much as the Koreans. Two peas in a pod with the same genes.

quercetumToday  04:00 pm JST

Judging from the responses, the Japanese care about this as much as the Koreans. Two peas in a pod with the same genes.

The west has never considered them the same. Neither has China.

When did Korea become the center of the world?

"We used to call it East Sea" is simply their own business. They should just keep calling it as such in SK's text books. Korean culture and tradition in their baggage they bring with them into not only US but also everywhere is nothing but Anti-Japan campaign. What the heckle does that Korean girl-statue do in Germany? Was there ever any comfort women serving IJA in Germany?

In my old 1986 pocket dairy (bought from Maruzen, Nihonbashi) the maps at the back of the dairy labeled the sea as East Sea.

I remember being at Tottori visiting some friends and they were remarking on this.

At that time and thought nothing of it, and was wondering what they were all discussing about my dairy.

That was 33 years ago.

Having lived in Tottori for the past 30 years, I have never heard it referred to as the “East Sea” but always the “Sea of Japan”. The local newspaper, 日本海新聞, is, interestingly, owned by an ethnic Korean. I support the idea of using two names according to perspective. Or come up with a neutral name like 中海 - Middle Sea. A local cable TV company calls itself 中海テレビ but in this case I think they are referring to the lake, なかうみ that borders Sakaiminato City, Shimane Peninsula, and parts to Tottori and Shimane Prefectures on the east and south.

Ex_ResToday  07:54 pm JST

In my old 1986 pocket dairy (bought from Maruzen, Nihonbashi) the maps at the back of the dairy labeled the sea as East Sea.

Congratulations for finding a Korean pocket diary in Tokyo in 1986. Because it couldn't possibly have been a Japanese one for the obvious reason that the Sea of Japan is west of Japan.

Ex_ResToday  07:54 pm JST

In my old 1986 pocket dairy (bought from Maruzen, Nihonbashi) the maps at the back of the dairy labeled the sea as East Sea.

*Congratulations for finding a Korean pocket diary in Tokyo in 1986. Because it couldn't possibly have been a Japanese one for the obvious reason that the Sea of Japan is west of Japan.*

Yes, I remember for a second or two thinking that myself (it was west of Japan).

But like I say, though nothing more if it for years. Too busy, swimming in the lovely water and riding camels on Tottori's famous sand dunes on a scorching hot day.

That's the liberals in control of NYC and the state. TV news always says Sea Of Japan. I like that title better it rolls off your tongue easy than east sea that sounds noncolorful and communistic.

There are enough issues between the two countries that it wouldn’t hurt to draw slips of paper out of a hat, taking turns to get their way.

Koreans must have paid huge donation to NY State assemblyman. American politics at its worse as "Everything has a price".

CoconutE3Today  03:51 am JST

Koreans must have paid huge donation to NY State assemblyman. American politics at its worse as "Everything has a price."

That's exactly how Japanese politics works. Things tend to get done here when there's something in it personally for politicians.

When did Korea become the center of the world?

When the govt cranked the “patriotism and national identity education” to 11. It gave fuel to the “Korean origin” activists who claim everything from the wheel to the computer originated in Korea and that Jesus fled to Korea after having a body double crucified in his place.