From the Guardian · Agence France-Presse in Tokyo · · 1m 20s
Japan wants the UN's new map redrawn
The UN's new equal-area world map shrinks Europe and grows Africa, and now Japan says it hands Russia the Kuril islands.
In brief
The UN's new equal-area world map shrinks Europe and grows Africa, and now Japan says it hands Russia the Kuril islands. A map is never just geometry. Fixing one distortion forces choices about borders that governments will fight over. Originally reported by the Guardian.
The UN redrew the world
On Friday the general assembly adopted the Equal Earth projection, which shows Africa at its true size while Europe and North America shrink. The US condemned the vote.
“a more accurate representation”
Japan voted yes, then objected
Japan was one of 164 members backing the resolution. Days later it asked for a revision, because the new map colours the Kuril islands the same as Russia.
A protest through diplomatic channels
Spokesperson Minoru Kihara said the depiction contradicts Tokyo's position and that Japan contacted the map site's operator to demand a correction.
“We lodged a protest with the map site's operator through our diplomatic channel”
Ukraine hit the same wall
Ukraine abstained because the map shades occupied Crimea differently from the rest of the country. Its UN representatives called that a breach of the charter.
“Pandora's box”
Eighty years of grievance
The Soviet Union seized the islands in 1945 and expelled their Japanese residents. Tokyo has called them the Northern Territories ever since.
Putin's visit lit the fuse
Last month Putin made a surprise first trip to the islands. Prime minister Sanae Takaichi summoned Moscow's ambassador; Russia dismissed her protest as legally unfounded.
“an inherent part of Japan's territory, both historically and under international law”
Here's the gist
A map is never just geometry. Fixing one distortion forces choices about borders that governments will fight over.
