Kuril Islands: Japan condemns "illegal occupation"

After nearly two decades of silence in this case, Japan once again called Russian control of the Kuril Islands "illegal occupation". On Thursday, Japan's Kyodo agency provided information about the change of position, which may further exacerbate the relationship between Japan and Russia, already strained by the long-term territorial conflict.

The guidelines for the Japanese foreign policy strategy to be published at the end of April also contain a record that the islands are "inseparable" part of the Japanese territory.

Planned change In foreign policy, it reflects, according to the Japanese newspaper "Mainichi", Tokyo's abandonment of a conciliation approach to the dispute with Russia over the membership of the Kuril Islands to which they belong – Etorof, Kunashiri, Shikotan and Habomai – called the Northern Territories by Japan and by Russia – Southern Kurils.

Russia and Japan still did not sign the peace treaty after World War II due to territorial dispute over designated islands. The USSR occupied them in 1945, joining the war with Japan. From 1947 to 1949, the Japanese population of four islands, with 17,000 before the war, was displaced to Japan.

Source: PAP