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Russian President Visits Disputed Kuril Islands

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited the disputed Kuril Islands the other day, prompting Japan to make an official statement of complaint. Al Jazeera, trying its best to add some drama and rage to a pretty undramatic news story, declared that Japanese Prime Minister Kan has “lashed out” at Russia by saying that the situation was “regrettable”:

Dmitry Medvedev became the first Russian leader to visit the Kuril Islands on Monday. The islands, which lie north of Japan’s Hokkaido island, have been controlled by Moscow since they were seized by Soviet troops at the end of World War II, but Tokyo claims the southernmost four as Japanese territory.

Naoto Kan, Japan’s prime minister, said that Medvedev’s visit to the islands, known in Japan as Kunashiri, was “regrettable”.

“Japan’s stance is that those four northern islands are part of our country’s territory,” he told a parliamentary panel.

Following Medvedev’s controversial visit, Seiji Maehara, the Japanese foreign minister, summoned Russian ambassador Mikhail Bely to register Japan’s protest.

“I told him that it is Russia’s domestic issue. I requested Japan to deal with it cool-headedly and in a balanced manner,” Bely told reporters after meeting with Maehara, Japanese news agency Jiji reported.

Japan’s response has been pretty calm and standard. Japan filed an official diplomatic complaint with the Russian government, and it has temporarily recalled its ambassador to Moscow. There have been no cancellations of cultural exchange programs, no threats of economic embargo, no anti-Russian riots, no late night summonings of the Russian ambassador, and no reported un-invitations issued to Russians attending events in Japan. A meeting between Medvedev and Kan that is scheduled to take place next week in Yokohama will likely go ahead as planned.

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43 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - November 3, 2010 at 10:32 am

Categories: Politics Tags:

T-rock

Give the upper two to Russia and the two closer to Hokkaido to Japan, unless there’s a better way?
SecondVoltMeter

It has been 65 years. What makes Japan think that Russia will give back the islands?

Russia(or the former USSR) and Japan still do NOT have a formal peace treaty,
SIXTY-FIVE YEARS after the official end of World War II. That’s just crazy.
Uselesser

The right winged activists who are to be seen in front of major JR stations in Tokyo, always have these islands as one of their agenda when they speak. They have almost daily protests, it’s just that these protests are being ignored by the corporate Japanese media. However, it is not just the right winged activists but the majority of the people who do have an opinion on this issue either if they are left winged, center or right winged in Japan is that these islans do indeed belong to Japan.

Officially there has been no peace agreement between Japan and Russia yet. No matter how much Japan protest I somewhat don’t think Russia will ever give these islands back to Japan. Because if they do, then other countries which also have lost land to Russia will also start demanding. And before you know it, Russia will have shrunk quite a bit. There are rumors that Gorbachev will be running for president in Russia in the coming elections, he is much more moderate and a firm believer in open dialogue and trapping down on weapons including nuclear weapons. Maybe with him as president things might change but I woun’t be holding my breath.

ponta

“the majority of the people who do have an opinion on this issue either if they are left winged, center or right winged in Japan is that these islans do indeed belong to Japan.”

For the record,

”In 2005 the European Parliament adopted a resolution urging Russia to return the islands to Japan.”
（Al Jazeera）

　”WASHINGTON–The United States backs Japan’s claim of sovereignty over the disputed Northern Territories, the U.S. government said Monday.”　（THE ASAHI SHIMBUN　2010/11/03 )

Max

It’s not hard to see through this assurance by the US and EU that the islands “rightfully belong” to Japan. They don’t want good relations between Japan and Russia. Of course they’ll want to convince the Japanese that the islands “belong” to Japan. As a former expansive empire that took lands away from others, Japan can’t suddenly change its moral stance on “taking land away from others”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynWjYHP91gA qwerty

>As a former expansive empire that took lands away from others,

Yet another WW2 rhetoric. Makes me sick, tired and suspect this “Max”‘s background. Chisima islands has been a part of Japan way before Japan’s fascism era.
Max

Wow, you “suspect my background” now? What kind of “background” should I have, sir? Once again, you avoid the point. Japan went into WW2 hoping to steal land away from others. When it was defeated and land was actually stolen from Japan, it’s all of a suden morally wrong.
jcpb

“As a former expansive empire…” Such a quote was true for every country in existence, is it offensive because it is Japan that is trying to “reclaim” what has been seized from them during wars?
http://www.japanprobe.com James

Wow, you “suspect my background” now? What kind of “background” should I have, sir?

I don’t know what kind of “background” qwerty was referring to, but you do have a history of making absurd comments defending the Russian/Soviet Empire:

http://www.japanprobe.com/2010/07/16/south-korea-punishes-people-for-ancestors-crimes/

Japan went into WW2 hoping to steal land away from others. When it was defeated and land was actually stolen from Japan, it’s all of a suden morally wrong.

At the end of the war, Japan was stripped of the territory it gained through conquest.

The “Northern Territories” that Japan claims today never belonged to Russia, even before the Russo-Japanese War and had never been claimed by Russia since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and Japan in 1855. The islands in question were not gained through conquest or theft, so you are making an irrelevant point.
Max

James, and why should the one who attempted to conquer territories then be immune to others stealing new territories from them? You make aggression seem like a no-risk venture. I consider your comments pretty absurd too, but I’m not paranoid about your background. If you want to ask me something about my personal life, go right ahead.
Max

@jcpb Japan can huff and puff as much as it wants, that doesn’t mean it’s entitled to the Kurils because they hold some special meaning. They gambled and they lost, not much I should add. A couple of small islands are a very small reparation for what Japan did in WW2.
Stereo

Max, read Cairo Declaration.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairo_Declaration
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Cairo_Declaration

“They(the Allies) covet no gain for themselves and have no thought of territorial expansion.”

This is why the Russians are not entitled to gain any piece of land as a result of WW2.
Porco

Cairo is irrelevant because USSR did not participated in Conference and did not sign any documents of it.

Porco

LOL
Gorbachev’s chances of being elected President are much less than snowball’s chances in hell.

Max

Russia had no problem settling its borders with China in 2004 and with Norway in 2010. Japan is the one that has border disputes with all of its neighbors. In 1956 Russia actually agreed to give Japan two of the four islands as a gesture of good will. Japan agreed, but then withdrew from the agreement under pressure from Washington. As with China and Norway, Russia is ready to make a compromise again, but Japan is still being stubborn, I suspect under the same pressures.

Uselesser

“Russia had no problem settling its borders with China in 2004 and with Norway in 2010″

With Norway the dispute was territory in the sea and not any land and that is ahuge difference.

Max

Is it? What about the border settlement with China? Is that also a sea border that holds no relevance to the conversation?

Uselesser

Norway, sea, Japan island. Big difference. That was my point. Hope you understood.
Max

Do you avoid the word “China” on purpose here? You’re not making a point, you’re avoiding the point.
Uselesser

Norway is sea, Japan not so I thought your comparison was like comparing apples and organges. Your comparison was not very good. I hope you get it. Notice I did not say anything about China?

But there still are disputes between Norway and Russia regarding the Svalbard treaty. Other countries Russia have disputes with is Estonia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Finland.
Max

That’s right, you avoid talking about China, because it’s a good example of how Russia managed to settle a huge border without any problems, and this led to improving relations. The 1956 settlement between Russia and Japan is another good example. The 2003 Kazakhstan agreement too. By the way, Russia has no disputes with Kazakhstan, Finland, Ukraine or Lithuania. Among those you mentioned, the only half-true one is Estonia. Russia signed a border agreement with Estonia, which Estonia violated. Btw, Estonia is also the only EU country that treats its Russian minority as non-citizens without equal rights.
TIm

I think talking the dispute case with China is irrelevant here. They are different issues. The issue with China did not exist when WW2 ended.
Russian invaded the islands when Japanese solders were forced to leave the islands. 2005 European Parliament urged Russia to return those islands to Japan. Yes?
It’s obvious who is acting against the international rules.

SG

From what I understand of the issue, Japan has pretty valid case for its claims.

But the truth is, its mostly irrelevant at this point. The longer the islands stay under Russian control, the less likely they will ever be returned to Japan. And today, it really should not be an issue. Claims to the islands were far more relevant during the Cold War because they would have helped Japan and the US constrain Russian access to the Pacific from the Sea of Okhotsk.

In fact, when the Soviet Union collapsed, plenty of people thought Japan squandered an opportunity to make a gesture of reconciliation in exchange for previously unprecedented economic access.

And today, with the number of territorial disputes between every nation in the region, nobody can afford to back down lest they lose some legitimacy to all of their other claims. So I guess the situation is doomed to persist as it is- token formal complaints so as not to seem complacent with the knowledge that nothing can be done and there is no point spoiling relations over them.

I wonder if most international politics in the region between government players is simply done with a knowing wink to every party because they all know they can not do anything else… Or if they really are just pissed off at each other all the time.
flowby

Why on the video map are the Islands positions circled far from the coast of Hokkaido???

If one was to believe such, it would place the islands equi-distance from Sapporo as Tokyo. I’m lead to belive the closest is less than 20km’s away.
Just a small point – but inaccurate, esp for an international audience – and creates a “less legitimate” atmosphere re Japan’s viewpoint.

And unfortunately I think Russia will never be swayed on this – esp for the main 2 islands. They have lost so much ground since Soviet days and will not be seen to be weak-kneed again.

And the pathetic bleatings of some LDP members against the DP (eg “They let Medvedev go there”????) are symptomatic of the weakness the Japanese Govt displayed over the past decades.

Why, when Japan was at it’s peak and the Soviet Empire was crumbling with drunkard Yeltsin at helm, didn’t the enlightened ones negotiate much more forcefully?

Dare any LDP parrot cry foul.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynWjYHP91gA qwerty

>and creates a “less legitimate” atmosphere re Japan’s viewpoint.

It’s BBC. What do you expect from them? Always biased and eager to write down when it comes to cover Japan and Japanese. Typical of British media. Perhaps still bitter about we kicked their ass out from SE Asia(and put an end to their imperialism in East Asia). It’s interesting to see how they love to bring up WW2 rhetoric when Japan refuses to go their way in the whaling issue.

flowby

Actually I was under the impression it was an Al Jazeera broadcast.

Qwerty – Perhaps your ingrained beliefs rally over.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynWjYHP91gA qwerty

@flowby

>Actually I was under the impression it was an Al Jazeera broadcast.

Holy…LOL. Of course it’s Al-Jazeera, I’m sorry, looks like I was barking to wrong tree. And yes, you are right on “Qwerty – Perhaps your ingrained beliefs rally over.”

But please forgive me repeat my rant above. For years, we(Japanese) had been told BBC is “quality media”, trust worthy. But every time I read their take on Japan and Japanese, I’m not so inclined to say so anymore. That has to be said about not only in the area of wild life conservation.

And I agree with you about LDP. I don’t know whether I should laugh or cry or be angry when Japanese media and LDP blame DPJ for current diplomatic disaster. Japanese voters have only themselves to blame for today’s mess.

http://www.japanprobe.com James

Why on the video map are the Islands positions circled far from the coast of Hokkaido???

If one was to believe such, it would place the islands equi-distance from Sapporo as Tokyo. I’m lead to belive the closest is less than 20km’s away.
Just a small point – but inaccurate, esp for an international audience – and creates a “less legitimate” atmosphere re Japan’s viewpoint.

You’re absolutely correct. The area circled in the video is not the area that Japan claims as its territory. I guess somebody in the Al Jazeera newsroom googled “Kurile Islands” and just put a circle around them without actually bothering to find out that Japan is only claiming the southernmost islands.

blackcolorprinter

there are currently around 20,000 people living on those islands.
I assume most are Russian citizens who have spent generations there
and consider the islands their homes.

Do the governments of Japan and Russia giva a rat’s [rear end]
about the wishes of those citizens? (pardon my French)

Many living on the islands have expressed no desire to leave the
islands. The Japanese government(at least the MOFA) has stated
the the Russia must give back the islands and relocate the islands
somewhere else.

Just think… if you live on one of those islands and Russia and/or
Japan want to kick you out, how will you feel about it?

http://tepido.org/ LB

Not sure – but I do know the Japanese who were kicked out of their homes on those islands at the end of the war (those that are still living) weren’t too fond of the idea.

Piglet

As much as Japan might have a legal case, I believe Russian possession of these islands is a “fait accompli”: thousands of Russian citizens (over three generations) settled there and there is little remnant of Japanese culture on these islands (except for graves and maybe some historical sights).
I find it quite unrealistic to imagine Russia would willfully give the islands back. Japan should be realistic and concentrate on how to improve its declining domestic economy. There are many challenges ahead, maybe it’s time to focus on the most important.

MF DULER

Indeed. The islands belong to Russia, Japan needs to face reality.

Halbrook

Japan lost WW2. They should be grateful that the Allies kept their nation intact. Compared to the land that Germany lost, Japan got off easy.
T-rock

Ok then why can’t they just share the islands or is this all about competition?

Notice this is not just an easy rock, scissors, paper decision making

The best way as said is to give the northern half to Russia and the other two closer to Hokkaido to Japan simple right? Then what’s the problem?
Why can’t we decide who the rightful owner is?

Imagine an apple tree growing on the boundary line of two properties? What do you
do? chop the tree down, give it to one guy or share it?

LOD

When you call it “two of the four islands”, it sounds like the half of it. The fact is, the two islands closer to Hokkaido, Shikotan and Habomai, make just 7% of the four islands in size. It’s understanbable Japanese are not happy with the idea.

T-rock

And do you think the territorial issue has something to do with natural resources, important fishing areas and shipping routes? This may also influence this or not

Must be coal, oil, or natural gas deposits around those islands, otherwise
we would simply would see them as just a bunch of rocks so what?
LOD

I agree with most posters here: It’s now unrealistic for Japan to expect Russia somewhat willfully return the four islands.
Unlike in the case of Amami/Okinawa, the local Japanese residents there were already eradicated, making the return even more unrealistic.

Honestly, I even can’t understand why Japan claim these islands in the first place. I could understand it if she claimed the all of Kuril islands, on per with the Treaty of Saint Petersburg.
T-rock

It’s amazing for a country with so much land mass and they are still arguing over several pieces of land unbelievable you know…Russia is big enough anyways so they lose a few islands so what? There’s definitely something very important in that area otherwise why even care?
Piglet

If Japan gained these islands back, what should happen to the existing Russian population? Would they be forced to relocate? Would they be granted Japanese citizenship or permanent residence?
As I wrote above, several thousand people have settled there over 3 generations. Ethnic cleansing is not a solution in democratic countries and I think the local population doesn’t want to join Japan.
I don’t believe this can be settled in a peaceful way, so the best solution would be for Japan to accept the fact it lost the sovereignty of the islands and start instead campaigning for a special status (visa-free access for Japanese, special economic zone, multi-lingual education, …)
T-rock

No the best solution would be two give the upper half to Russia and the other half to Japan and grant those Russian’s on those two islands the rights etc…
It comes down to fairness and justice

Giving all to Russia is just self centered and conceited don’t you think?

Russia is a very big landmass, why have more land lol? Makes no sense
T-rock

Think about it for real
If you had an apple tree that grows on your property and most of the apples
are on your neighbors side, would you give the apples to your neighbor or
horde them all for yourself?

Those two islands are so close to Hokkaido why Russia wants to snatch them so badly from Japan makes no sense, they got enough land lol what gives them the right to do so? Who has the actual right to own those islands originally?

Think about it
Tim

Russia took the four islands after Japan surrendered August 1945. It was nothing but looting. Russia is asking Japan to join the development of the islands. Of course, Japan does not want to agree as the islands do not belong to Russia. Now Russia is also inviting South Korean Companies to develop the islands. What a nerve Russian has. No wonder Russia is called “M State” in WikiLeaks.
johyhuang

why japan did not send their self defense force to kuril island in which they always did in others dispute island such is dok lok korea and diao yu island with china because japan know well china want peace for economy development at this time but thhngs will be diference for china when their economy change to domestic deman.

Russian President Visits Disputed Kuril Islands

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