| Date | Event | Details | ||||||
| 1602 | "Mappa Mundi (World Atlas)" by Matteo Ricci | The oldest existing atlas in which the name "Japan Sea" appears. | ||||||
| 1639 | Japan's national isolation policy* starts | |||||||
| Late 18th Century-Early 19th Century | "Japan Sea" is established as a sole appellation in Europe | |||||||
| 1854 | Japan's national isolation policy ends | |||||||
| 1910 | Japan's annexation of the Korean Peninsula | |||||||
| 1921 | International Hydrographic Bureau is established; Japan joins IHB | International Hydrographic Bureau is a predecessor of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO). | ||||||
| 1928 | Publication of the first edition of the Guideline (S-23) | IHB publishes the first edition of the guideline, "Limits of Oceans and Seas" (S-23). "Japan Sea" appears as a sole appellation here. | ||||||
| 1937 | Publication of the second edition of the guideline | "Japan Sea" appears as a sole appellation here as well. | ||||||
| 1948 | Foundation of the Republic of Korea | |||||||
| 1952 | South Korea starts publishing its own nautical charts | |||||||
| 1953 | Publication of the third edition of the guideline | "Japan Sea" appears as a sole appellation here as well. | ||||||
| 1957 | South Korea joins the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) | |||||||
| 1977 | The Eleventh International Hydrographic Conference at IHO | Resolution on the revision of the Guideline (S-23) is adopted. | ||||||
| 1986 | Draft for the fourth edition of the guideline is completed | "Japan Sea" appears as a sole appellation. However, the publication did not come out due to difficulty in reaching a consensus among the member states for other areas. South Korea did not raise an objection against the name "Japan Sea." | ||||||
| 1991 | South Korea joins United Nations | |||||||
| 1992 | The Sixth United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names | South Korea first claims that "Japan Sea" should be renamed to "East Sea." | ||||||
| 1993 | South Korea publishes Nautical Chart No. 102A | Both names such as "Tong Hae" (meaning "East Sea" in Korean) and "Japan Sea" are used in the nautical chart ("East Sea" is not used). | ||||||
| 1995 | South Korea publishes Nautical Chart No. 101 | South Korea uses the name "East Sea" for the first time in its nautical chart. The name "Japan Sea" disappears from the Korean nautical charts. | ||||||
| 1997 | The Fifteenth International Hydrographic Conference at IHO | South Korea makes claim to inscribe both names, "Japan Sea" and "East Sea," to IHO for the first time. The chairman takes no notice on this. | ||||||
| 1998 | The notice on resuming the revision of the fourth edition | The Directing Committee(DC) of IHO makes notice on resuming the revision of the fourth edition. | ||||||
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2002 April 17 |
The Sixteenth International Hydrographic Conference | South Korea develops argument on using both names, and Japan opposes. | ||||||
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2002 August 9 |
Circular Letter from DC is sent to all member states | The Final Draft of the Fourth Edition of the Guideline, which leaves the pages related to the Japan Sea blank, was sent from DC to all member states without any previous notices. DC puts this Final Draft to the vote. | ||||||
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2002 August 23 |
Japan send a letter to DC | Japan protests against the transmission of the Final Draft of the Fourth Edition of the Guideline which leaves the name of the "Japan Sea" blank from IHB to all member states. | ||||||
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2002 August 23 |
Japan requests IHO member states against the final draft | Japan requests the IHO member states (69 countries) to either vote "against" or to "disclaim" in the vote of approval for the Final Draft of the Fourth Edition. | ||||||
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2002 Septembar 19 |
Circular Letter from DC is sent to all member states | The Final Draft which leaves the name of "Japan Sea" blank is withdrawn. | ||||||
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2002 Decembar 13 |
The 14th Japan-Korea Hydrographic Technical Meeting is postponed | The 14th Japan-Korea Hydrographic Technical Meeting scheduled on 16 and 17 December was postponed, because South Korea suddenly raised an objection against the inclusion of the issue of the name "Japan Sea" in the agenda. | ||||||
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2003 Septembar 5 |
The opinion exchange between the Japan-South Korea diplomatic Authorities | The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held the meeting for the opinion exchange between the Japan-South Korea diplomatic authorities about the Issue of the Name "Japan Sea", and the Japan Coast Guard also attended the meeting. | ||||||
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2004 January 15,16 |
The 14th Japan-Korea Hydrographic Technical Meeting was held (in Tokyo) | Both Japan and South Korea asserted their basic stances regarding this matter and exchanged opinions in the meeting. | ||||||
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2005 February 25,26 |
The 15th Japan-Korea Hydrographic Technical Meeting was held (in South Korea) | Both Japan and South Korea asserted their basic stances regarding this matter and exchanged opinions in the meeting. | ||||||
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2006 March 23,24 |
The 16th Japan-Korea Hydrographic Technical Meeting was held (in South Korea) | Both Japan and South Korea asserted their basic stances regarding this matter and exchanged opinions in the meeting. | ||||||
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2007 February 26,27 |
The 17th Japan-Korea Hydrographic Technical Meeting was held (in South Korea) | Both Japan and South Korea asserted their basic stances regarding this matter and exchanged opinions in the meeting. | ||||||
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2007 March 7,11 |
The 17th International Hydrographic Conference was held in Monaco | At the 17th International Hydrographic Conference held in May 2007, the chair of the Conference made a suggestion to divide the revised edition of the "Limits of Oceans and Seas" into two volumes and to publish the first volume in a form that does not include those areas where the concerned states are not in agreement and then to publish the second volume after the concerned states have come to an agreement. | ||||||
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2007 August |
Submission of Japanfs Counterproposals against the suggestion of the Chair |
The Japan submitted Counterproposal against the chair as: |
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2007 September |
IHO issued the Circular letter of Japanfs Counterproposal | IHO issued the Circular letter concerning the Japan's Counterproposal with Republic of Korean's and Democratic Peoplefs republic of Koreafs for all the member states and invited comments. | ||||||
| * National isolation policy: | A policy which bans any transfer of people and goods between Japan and foreign countries, as well as contact with foreign people/goods, regardless of governmental or private. |