Japan was among 164 members backing the Equal Earth resolution
Japan lodged a protest through a diplomatic channel with the operator of the Equal Earth map site, demanding correction of a depiction that shows the disputed Kuril islands in the same colour as Russia.
Japanese government spokesperson Minoru Kihara said Thursday that the new map, known as the Equal Earth cartographic projection, “contained a depiction contradicting the Japanese government’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.
Kihara declined to say when the issue was brought to the government’s attention. He said Japan “needs to prevent misconceptions of our territories and geographical names from spreading.”
The UN General Assembly voted Friday to adopt the map, which enlarges the African continent while shrinking North America and Europe. The change drew condemnation from the United States.
Japan was among the 164 UN members that supported the resolution. Japan objected to the map because it shows the Kurils, known in Japan as the Northern Territories, in the same colour as Russia.
The UN said the Equal Earth map aimed to present “a more accurate representation” of continental landmasses than more traditional Mercator projections.
The former Soviet Union seized the disputed islands in 1945 and then expelled the Japanese population.
Russian President Vladimir Putin made a surprise first visit to the disputed islands last month. Japan summoned Moscow’s ambassador after the visit.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Putin’s visit “offends the sentiments of the Japanese people” and called it “absolutely unacceptable.”
Takaichi said the islands were “an inherent part of Japan’s territory, both historically and under international law.”
Moscow responded that it “categorically” rejects those statements, “which we consider politically inappropriate, insulting and, of course, legally unfounded.”