Japan joins India, other nations to protest against 2023 edition of China's 'standard map'
map," China has been questioned by various countries with many of them lodging protests against the nation. Japan is the latest country to join the others in rejecting Beijing's map.
According to Matsuno Hirokazu, chief cabinet secretary of Japan, the map's description of the Senkaku Islands is based on Beijing's claims.
Hirokazu said the islands are unquestionably an «inherent part» of Japan's territory, in terms of both history and international law, according to Japanese public broadcaster, NHK World.
He said that Japan has lodged a strong protest with Beijing via diplomatic channels and has demanded an immediate retraction of the description on the map.
However, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson dismissed the Japanese government's protest over a description of Japan's Senkaku Islands in a new map released by Beijing, according to NHK.
Notably, Japan controls the islands.
They are disputed by China and Taiwan.
Apart from India, it is the United States, Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Taiwan that have lodged strong protests against China so far.
Indonesia said «Comply with UNCLOS», whereas Taiwan said the map «can't change our country's existence». Nepal too reacted to it and asked Beijing to «respect» its 2020 Map.
On August 31, the Indonesian foreign minister Retno Marsudi emphasized that the drawing of territorial lines, including the 2023 Edition of the Standard Map of China, must be in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 the Indonesian News Agency Antara reported.
Regarding the release of the so-called «Standard Map» by China, the Russian envoy to India, Denis Alipov had recently said it «doesn't change anything on the ground..»
China, on August 28, released the 2023 edition of
