▁Sea ▁of ▁Japan : ▁ 6 3 0 , 7 2 1   km 2 ▁ ▁D ait ō ▁Islands : ▁ 4 4   km 2 ▁ ▁Sen k aku ▁Islands : ▁ 7   km 2 ▁ ▁Sea ▁of ▁Ok hot sk : ▁ 2 3 5   km 2 ▁ ▁Total : ▁ 4 , 4 7 9 , 6 7 4   km 2 ▁ ▁Law ▁En for cement ▁& ▁Security ▁▁ ▁Japan ▁rat ified ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁Convention ▁on ▁the ▁Law ▁of ▁the ▁Sea ▁( UN CL OS ) ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁December ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁and ▁has ▁contributed ▁to ▁three ▁UN CL OS ▁organizations ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁International ▁Trib unal ▁for ▁the ▁Law ▁of ▁the ▁Sea ▁( IT L OS ), ▁the ▁Commission ▁on ▁the ▁Lim its ▁of ▁the ▁Cont inental ▁Sh elf ▁( CL CS ) ▁and ▁the ▁International ▁Se ab ed ▁Author ity ▁( IS A ). ▁ ▁The ▁Japan ▁Mar itime ▁Self ▁Def ense ▁Force ▁( J MS DF ) ▁is ▁responsible ▁for ▁protect ing ▁the ▁E E Z ▁of ▁Japan . ▁ ▁As ▁an ▁island ▁nation , ▁dependent ▁on ▁mar itime ▁trade ▁for ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁its ▁resources , ▁including ▁food ▁and ▁raw ▁materials , ▁mar itime ▁operations ▁are ▁a ▁very ▁important ▁aspect ▁of ▁Japanese ▁defense ▁policy . ▁ ▁Dis put es ▁▁ ▁Japan ▁has ▁disput es ▁over ▁its ▁E E Z ▁boundaries ▁with ▁all ▁its ▁Asian ▁neighb ors ▁( Russ ia , ▁Republic ▁of ▁Korea , ▁China ▁and ▁Taiwan