"Dokdo is Japanese territory?" Clearly marked on Japan's tsunami warning map... Strong response needed from Korean government

Dokdo is labeled as 'Takeshima' and the East Sea as 'Sea of Japan'
"'Dokdo=Japanese territory' misunderstanding possible... Strong response needed"

The Japan Meteorological Agency labeled Dokdo as '竹島' (Takeshima) and included it in the area under a 'tsunami advisory.' This labeling implies that Dokdo is Japanese territory, and since the Japanese government has repeatedly provoked territorial disputes by misrepresenting Dokdo, there are calls for a strong response from the South Korean government.

On the afternoon of the 1st, the Japan Meteorological Agency posted a map on its website showing the current status of tsunami warnings and advisories, indicating the areas along Japan's northern coast facing the Sea of Japan where tsunami warnings and advisories were issued.

The Japan Meteorological Agency marked Dokdo in yellow as if it were its own territory and issued a tsunami warning. Photo by Japan Meteorological Agency website capture

According to the map provided by the Japan Meteorological Agency, the Noto region in Ishikawa Prefecture, where a magnitude 7.6 earthquake occurred, is marked in purple to indicate a 'major tsunami advisory' area. Fukui, Sado, Toyama Prefectures, and others are marked in red to indicate 'tsunami warning' areas. Hokkaido and Tottori Prefecture are marked in yellow to indicate 'tsunami advisory' areas.

The problem is that Dokdo was also colored yellow and included in the tsunami advisory area. Furthermore, Dokdo was labeled with the Japanese name claimed by Japan, 'Takeshima,' and the Sea of Japan was labeled as '日本海' (Sea of Japan).

The map also showed the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and Ulleungdo, but the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami advisory only for Dokdo. This repeated the claim that Dokdo is Japanese territory even during a disaster.

In particular, there are criticisms that this is not the first time the Japan Meteorological Agency has subtly labeled Dokdo as its own territory, indicating intentionality. In January 2022, when an underwater volcano erupted near Tonga in the South Pacific, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning and labeled Dokdo as Japanese territory. In September of the same year, when Japan was directly affected by Typhoon Hinnamnor (No. 11), the agency provided a map including Dokdo as Japanese territory.

Professor Seo Kyung-duk of Sungshin Women's University, known as a 'Dokdo guardian,' emphasized the need for a strong response, saying that Dokdo could be mistakenly perceived as Japanese territory. On the 2nd, he wrote on his Facebook, "The map showing tsunami warnings and advisories provided by the Japan Meteorological Agency labels Dokdo as Japanese territory, causing another problem," and pointed out, "In fact, the Japan Meteorological Agency has labeled Dokdo as Takeshima, and we have been continuously protesting this for the past three years."

He added, "Since many reports capture and use the maps provided by the Japan Meteorological Agency, there is a significant risk that people may mistakenly believe 'Dokdo is Japanese territory.' From this year onward, the South Korean government must respond strongly to the Japan Meteorological Agency."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.