Japan attempts to redraw post-war borders
Published: 09 July, 2009, 14:23
The territorial dispute between Russia and Japan over the Kuril Islands dominated discussions as President Dmitry Medvedev meets Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso on the sidelines of the G8.
Tensions over the controversial issue were heightened only last week when Japan’s parliament adopted a bill officially recognizing the islands as part of its “historical territory”.
The region was annexed by the Soviet Union as a result of World War Two.
Independent analyst Vladimir Kozin says Japan’s demarche is an attempt to redraw post-war borders in Asia.
“The Kuril Islands are the strategic area for Russian nuclear submarines sailing from their home bases to the Pacific Ocean,” recalled Kozin.
“If Russia gives any islands to Japan it will immediately create a precedent for Japan to demand Sakhalin and other islands of the Kuril belt up to Kamchatka!” Kozin warned.
“We share a view that in order to truly elevate Japan-Russian strategic partnership relations onto a higher dimension it is very unnatural that we are unable to resolve this long-lasting issue of the Northern Territories,” commented Kazuo Kodama, spokesman of the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
09.07.2009, 10:44
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kss - These are Russian islands If you can get the land back from the USA for the Red Indians or British, Kosovo back for Serbia, N Ireland back for Ireland..... the list is huge, then I suppose in light of this we could say you have changed International law.
If Japan does not wish any better future relationship with Russia, Japan will keep its position as claiming the islands their own territory. If they wish to improve the relationship with Russia, they will ease their position on this matter or even give away the claim. There always be the reason for its action especially on the international politics. Russia announce Japan that the politics and business should never be discussed on the same table, but Japan is keeping its claim of historical territories as the sets of the economical/business issues. From this point of view, Japan does not need any better relationship with Russia more than Russia needs from Japan. In the end, as long as Russia to keep its position as the world raw material exporter, Japan simply choose another partner to import the material. Yet, for Russia, without Japanese technology of the nuclear reactor, Russia cannot keep its position as the world largest energy exporter for the next 10 years.