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Island dispute keeps Russia-Japan relations on rocks

Published time: February 07, 2013 09:27
Edited time: February 07, 2013 13:27
An aerial view shows Kunashiri Island, one of four islands known as the Southern Kuriles in Russia and Northern Territories in Japan (Reuters / Kyodo)

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Conflict, Japan, Medvedev, Military, Politics, Protest, Robert Bridge, Russia, WWII

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he wants to reach a mutually-acceptable solution with Russia over the South Kuril Islands, which were handed over to the Soviet Union following World War II.

Speaking before a rally in Tokyo on Thursday, known in Japan as the Day of Northern Territories, the Japanese leader reaffirmed his country’s determination to settle the dispute with Moscow.

"The Japanese government will continue to pursue the settlement of the territorial issues with a strong will,” Abe said, as quoted by RIA Novosti. “We aim to finally resolve the problem with Russia on the disputed islands, which will finally determine the ownership of the islands and realize the signing of a peace treaty."

Tokyo, however, has demanded that Russia recognize Japan as the rightful owners of the South Kurils – comprised of Kunashir, Shikotan, Iturup and the Habomai Rocks. The decades-long dispute has prevented Moscow and Tokyo from signing a formal peace treaty to recognize the end of their hostilities following the end of World War II.

This week, Tokyo announced the opening of a new government agency, called the Territorial Sovereignty Office of Planning and Coordination, which will implement public relations strategies regarding territorial issues.

The issue has become a politically-charged subject in Japan, where every year on February 7 Japanese nationalists and former residents of the islands stage protests demanding the return of the islands, which are surrounded by prime fishing waters.

Meanwhile, Moscow, which has expressed its willingness to cooperate with Japan in a number of development projects on the Kuril Islands, does not see Tokyo changing its stance on the issue.

Former President Dmitry Medvedev, who, in November 2010 became the first Russian leader to visit the South Kurils, ordered the deployment of weapons to the islands in February 2011 to guarantee security of the region.

Medvedev said the move was not targeted against Japan or any other country.

“This is our land and military forces should be deployed there since this is the border,” he emphasized.

Robert Bridge, RT

Comments (41)

Ramzai (unregistered) 09.02.2013 20:43

To sum up: Russia did not invite Japan to join Germany in WWII. Japan willingly did so on its own. Russia won the victory in that war. The winner takes it all justly. All the subsequent BS is nothing but BS. So stop blowing bubbles. Russia does not need a peace treaty with Japan. Japan does. Kurils are all Russian territory. Any attempt to claim the opposite should unequivocally start with the statement: "First, Russia should get back Alaska and California. Then we'll allow Japan invest in the Russian Kuril Islands." Period.

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fredka 09.02.2013 03:53

The West should stay out of it......"Nothing" Britain should return the Falklands and the terrorist US should start with Guantanamo Bay !

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WHAT???? U.S. propaganda strikes again (unregistered) 08.02.2013 19:53

@ Just_Saying......... ....Just_DON'T_Say.. ..until you get the facts.

You are just another anti-Russian bigot changing history again...Let's go over this again.....and this time no American delusions of superiority and no more  American lies about who won WWII and how....

The  Japanese were terrified of a Russian invasion because they knew the Russians would go to Japan and fight ...unlike the Americans.....The Americans for their part had had enough of the high casualties sl ogging through Iwo Jima and Okinawa.... so they nuked Japan twice and pushed the Russians to declare war on Japan......... 

7/18/45  Truman's Letter to to his wife Bess Truman:
"...I've gotten what I came for - Stalin goes to war [against Japan] August 15 with no strings on it. He wanted a Chinese settlement [in return for entering the Pacific war, China would give Russia some land and other concessions] - and it is practically made - in a better form than I expected. [Chinese Foreign Minister] Soong did better than I asked him. I'll say that we'll end the war a year sooner now, and think of the kids who won't be killed! That is the important thing."

The Japanese were so terrified of Russian invasion they immediately surrendered.....Does any of this determine the ownership of the Kuriles? NO.......History has shown that the Japanese have no more of a claim on these islands than the Russians....The  native Ainu who were victims of Japanese genocide are the most legitimate owners of the Kurils ....and historically they have always preferred R ussian rule...... 

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