Japan remains noncommittal — at least for now — over the United States’ renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America,” avoiding taking sides in what has become a politically sensitive issue.
Responding to questions during a Wednesday news conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said the government will continue to monitor related developments, but avoided confirming which name it will actually follow.
“In terms of the general rule (on how to deal with disputed foreign geographic names), it could potentially affect interactions between third countries. Therefore, the government would like to refrain from commenting,” he said.
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