All national papers except Asahi took up the disclosure by Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Sakai on Thursday that the GOJ requested the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command to correct its statement on North Korea’s test-launch of two ballistic missiles because it referred to the body of water between Japan and South Korea as the “East Sea.”  

The document, released under the name of a public affairs officer, said: “We are aware of North Korean missile launches this morning into the East Sea.” The Japanese government spokesman called the term “inappropriate.” Pointing out that the U.S. Board on Geographic Names has noted that the term “Sea of Japan” is the only official term that should be used in reference to the body of water in question, Yomiuri speculated that a mistake was made by the INDOPACOM officials who drafted the statement.