Sea of Japan

The Sea of Japan is a small sea in the northeastern part of the Asian continent that is part of the Pacific Ocean. It is almost completely surrounded by Japan, Korea and Russia. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has few tides due to being nearly completely enclosed. It is separated from the North Pacific Ocean by the Japanese Archipelago and Sakhalin and connects to the oceans via five small straits: Strait of Tartary, La Perouse Strait, Tsugaru Strait, Kanmon Straits, and the Korea Strait.

In addition to becoming an increasingly important commercial waterway with the growth of East Asian economies, the areas in the north and southeast of the Sea of Japan are rich fishing grounds. The sea is also rich in mineral deposits, natural gas and petroleum.

While the Sea of Japan is most commonly used to refer to this body of water, both North and South Korea have advocated for another naming convention. North Korea has proposed the name "East Sea of Korea, " while South Korea suggested the "East Sea," or "Sea of Korea."