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Why is the southwestern Sea of Okhotsk relatively warm?

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Vertical physical map showing the seas of Japan and Okhotsk, highlighting underwater basins, trenches, and ridges, as well as the coastlines and boundaries of Russia, China, North Korea, South Korea, and Japan. Major cities, islands, and peninsulas such as Vladivostok, Tokyo, Hokkaido, Sakhalin, Kamchatka Peninsula, and the Kuril Islands are labeled. Water depths are indicated with color shading, and an inset locator map shows the region's position in East Asia.
Sea of Okhotsk

The southwestern portion of the Sea of Okhotsk is relatively warm primarily due to the inflow of water from the Sea of Japan.2

This occurs as the Sōya Warm Current—a branch of the Tsushima Current—enters the Sea of Okhotsk through the La Perouse Strait. This influx of warmer water contributes to the comparative warmth of the sea's southwestern region, distinguishing it from the colder northern and western areas that are more heavily influenced by the continental climate.21