JAPAN-ISLANDS Japan government says 1969 Chinese map calls disputed islands by Japanese name

Record ID: 468797

  • Title: JAPAN-ISLANDS Japan government says 1969 Chinese map calls disputed islands by Japanese name
  • Date: 17th March 2015
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (MARCH 17, 2015) (REUTERS) COMPUTER MONITOR SHOWING DOCUMENTS UPLOADED ON THE JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTRY WEBSITE ABOUT N THE DISPUTED ISLANDS SCROLLING DOWN VARIOUS CHINESE MAPS TO 1969 MAP OF SEAS AROUND TAIWAN PART OF MAP WITH CHINESE CHARACTERS READING (Chinese): "Senkaku Archipelago"
  • Embargoed: 1st April 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA4OGW0BWDLLBEI9870CY52FBJO
  • Story Text: The Japanese government said on Tuesday (March 17) it has found a 1969 Chinese official atlas labeling disputed islands in East China Sea as "Senkaku" the Japanese name for the islands.
    The "Map of Provinces and Cities of the People's Republic of China," issued in 1969 by Chinese National Bureau of Surveying and Mapping, marked the disputed as "Senkaku Archipelago" instead of "Diaoyu," the Chinese name for the islands, Japan's Foreign Minister said in handout material.
    "Some new material which was made on the premise that the Senkaku Islands are Japanese territory has come to light. The Foreign Ministry is of the stance that it sees China's claims on the islands as groundless and so it has decided to correct the information on its website concerning the Senkaku Islands (to reflect this new material)," Japanese government spokesperson Yoshihide Suga said in the regular news conference.
    "We will continue our efforts so that the international community will gain correct understanding of the issue (of the history of the country) and we plan to provide effective messages (for this to be possible)," Suga said.
    The archipelago, lies 2000 kilomotres (1200 miles) south of the Japanese capital and has been the center of a territorial feud between Asia's two biggest economies.
    The uninhabited islands are thought to be surrounded by vast gas and oil reserves and rich fishing grounds.
    The maritime tension between Japan and China has parallels with Beijing's recent tangles with Southeast Asian countries over rival territorial claims in the South China Sea.
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