Japan Claims Massive Continental Shelf

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On Nov 1, the Japan Ocean Policy Research Foundation yesterday decided to ask the U.N. Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf to recognize that a continental shelf spanning 740,000 square kilometers belongs to Japan.

The continental shelf in question includes a massive seabed east of Japan's easternmost island of Minamitori and its southernmost island of Okinotori. The gross area of the seafloor is twice as large as all of Japan. Methane hydrates, which are expected to replace oil, are also known to be buried in the seabed.

The U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea stipulates that a continental shelf extending 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) from a nation's coast belongs to the country. States, however, also have rights to the seabed of the continental shelf up to 350 nautical miles from the coast if the configuration and geological features of the seabed are considered part of the land.

Will UN approve Japan's request by July 2009?

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STEP 1: My Answer

	ZiiValue (chance)	Answer	MyAnswer (which outcome happened?)	Possible Outcomes
	9%		Yes UN approves	Yes UN approves
	33%		No UN disapproves	No UN disapproves
	59%		Status quo	Status quo

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