Japan protests UN world map over depiction of disputed Kuril islands

Japan has asked for a revision to a new world map adopted by the United Nations, saying it wrongly depicts the disputed Kuril islands as part of Russia. The map, based on the Equal Earth cartographic projection, was adopted by the UN General Assembly on Friday and is intended to present continental landmasses in a more accurate scale than the traditional Mercator projection. Japan said the depiction could spread misconceptions about its territory and geographical names.

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Japanese government spokesperson Minoru Kihara said on Thursday that the map contained a depiction that contradicted the Japanese government's position. He said Japan had lodged a protest through diplomatic channels with the operator of the map site and demanded a correction. Kihara did not say when the issue was first brought to the government's attention, but said Japan needed to prevent misconceptions from spreading.

Japan was among the 164 UN members that supported the resolution adopting the map. The dispute centres on the islands known in Japan as the Northern Territories and in Russia as the Kuril islands. The islands were seized in 1945 by the former Soviet Union, which expelled the Japanese population.

The territorial row has remained unresolved for decades and continues to shape relations between Tokyo and Moscow. The latest protest adds a cartographic dispute to an already sensitive diplomatic issue. The timing is notable because relations between Japan and Russia have already deteriorated further in recent weeks.

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Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a surprise visit to the disputed islands for the first time, prompting Japan to summon Moscow's ambassador. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the visit offended the sentiments of the Japanese people and was absolutely unacceptable. She also said the islands were an inherent part of Japan's territory, both historically and under international law.

Moscow rejected Japan's position, saying it categorically dismissed the statements as politically inappropriate, insulting and legally unfounded. The UN said the new map was meant to offer a more accurate representation of continental landmasses than traditional projections. The controversy shows how even a technical mapping decision can become entangled with long-running territorial disputes and diplomatic sensitivities.

What remains unclear is when Japan first raised the issue and whether the map will be amended. The UN has not said publicly whether it will change the depiction of the islands. For now, the protest adds another point of friction in a dispute that has persisted since the end of the Second World War and continues to affect bilateral ties.

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