Exclusive economic zone of Japan
Japan has the eighth largest Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the world.[1] The total area of Japan is about 377,975.24 km².[2] Japan's EEZ area is vast and the territorial waters (including: the Seto Inland Sea) and EEZ together is about 4.48 million km².[3]
Geography
The Japanese archipelago consists of about 6,852 islands. The Exclusive Economic Zone of Japan includes:
- Minami-Tori-shima: 428,875 km2
- Nanpō Islands: 862,782 km2
- Pacific Ocean (Japan): 1,162,334 km2
- Ryukyu Islands: 1,394,676 km2
- Sea of Japan: 630,721 km2
- Daitō Islands: 44 km2
- Senkaku Islands: 7 km2
- Sea of Okhotsk: 235 km2
- Total[4]: 4,479,674 km2
Law Enforcement & Security
Japan ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on 10 December 1982 and has contributed to three UNCLOS organizations such as the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) and the International Seabed Authority (ISA).[5]
The Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) is responsible for protecting the EEZ of Japan. As an island nation, dependent on maritime trade for the majority of its resources, including food and raw materials, maritime operations are a very important aspect of Japanese defense policy.
Disputes
Japan has disputes over its EEZ boundaries with all its Asian neighbors (Russia, Republic of Korea, China and Taiwan). The above, and relevant maps at the Sea Around Us Project[6][7] both indicate Japan's claimed boundaries.
Japan also refers to various categories of "shipping area" – Smooth Water Area, Coasting Area, Major or Greater Coasting Area, Ocean Going Area – but it is unclear whether these are intended to have any territorial or economic implications.
See also
References
- "海洋白書 2004". Nippon Foundation. Retrieved 11 February 2008.
- "令和元年全国都道府県市区町村別面積調(10月1日時点), Reiwa 1st year National area of each prefecture municipality (as of October 1)" (in Japanese). Geospatial Information Authority of Japan. 26 December 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
- "日本の領海等概念図". 海上保安庁海洋情報部. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
- including areas recommended by "CLCS".
- "Law of the Sea". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
- Japan (main islands) The Sea Around Us Project
- Japan (outer islands) The Sea Around Us Project