WEBDESK - NAYADAUR
Japan has protested a newly adopted United Nations world map after the disputed Kuril Islands were depicted in the same color as Russia, reigniting a long-running territorial dispute.
Japan is seeking changes to a new world map adopted by the United Nations after officials objected to the way the disputed Kuril Islands are represented.
The UN General Assembly voted last Friday to adopt the Equal Earth cartographic projection, a map designed to provide a more balanced visual representation of the world’s continents than traditional projections such as the Mercator map.
The resolution was supported by 164 UN member states, while the United States was the only country to vote against it.
Japan also backed the adoption. However, Tokyo has since raised concerns over the depiction of the Kuril Islands, which Japan calls the Northern Territories and Russia refers to as the Southern Kuriles.
The islands were seized by the Soviet Union in 1945, toward the end of World War II, and the Japanese population was subsequently expelled. Russia currently controls the four disputed islands, while Japan continues to claim sovereignty over them.
Japanese government spokesman Minoru Kihara said the map contained a depiction that contradicted Tokyo’s position.
“We lodged a protest with the map site's operator through our diplomatic channel to demand the correction of this depiction,” Kihara told reporters.
He did not say when Japanese authorities first became aware of the issue but stressed the importance of preventing what Tokyo considers misconceptions about its territories and geographical names.
A Dispute Beyond the Map
The disagreement comes as relations between Japan and Russia remain strained over the islands.
Tensions increased further after Russian President Vladimir Putin made a surprise visit to the disputed territory, prompting Japan to summon Moscow’s ambassador.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described the visit as “absolutely unacceptable,” maintaining that the islands are an inherent part of Japan’s territory based on both history and international law.
Moscow rejected Japan’s position, describing Tokyo’s statements as politically inappropriate, insulting and legally unfounded.
The territorial dispute has prevented Japan and Russia from resolving a broader disagreement that has continued since the end of World War II.
The United Nations has said the Equal Earth projection was adopted to provide a more accurate representation of continental landmasses and to address distortions associated with older map projections.
But for Japan, the issue demonstrates how even the colors and borders on a world map can carry significant political meaning.
Why Japan Wants the New World Map Changed
Japan says the new UN-adopted map could create the impression that the disputed Kuril Islands belong to Russia, prompting Tokyo to demand that their depiction be corrected.