ABSTRACT
The largest island of Japan faces two major sea fronts: one is the Pacific Ocean and the other is the Sea of Japan, a semi-closed marginal sea enclosed by the Asian north-east continent, the Korean Peninsula, and the Japanese islands. The Sea of Japan has two narrow straits that link to the outer oceans — the East China Sea via the Korean Strait, and the Pacific Ocean via the Soya or Tsugaru Strait. Until recently, the Sea of Japan has experienced severe political and military conflicts between both the “East” and the “West,” and the “North” and the “South,” as a result of the Cold War. The Sea of Japan has been a playing field for “a game of hide and seek” for military vessels and aircraft since the end of the Second World War and has also witnessed several tragic accidents due to commercial maritime traffic.
