More states are moving to pass legislation to change the labels used to describe the body of water between Korea and Japan; a sign that the lingering dispute over the region continues to overflow into American politics.
According to Capitol Confidential, now New York is moving to pass legislation that would require schools in the state to refer to the body of water between the Japanese archipelago and the Asian mainland as both the ‘Sea of Japan’ and ‘the East Sea’.
Virginia just passed legislation of this nature last week.
The New York bill is sponsored by state Senator Toby Ann Stavisky and Assemblyman Edward Braunstein.
“These bills are intended to provide New York students with a more balanced and full picture of the history of East Asia,” Stavisky said in a statement. “It is often said that history is written by the victors. In this case, the widely known name for a body of water is a constant reminder for Koreans worldwide of an era of oppression, occupation and violence.”
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The ‘Sea of Japan’ label has traditionally been viewed by Koreans as a symbol of Japanese occupation. Legislation to add the label ‘the East Sea’ became a campaign issue in the 2013 Virginia governor’s race when a large Korean American community in Northern Virginia successfully pushed the issue.
