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Russia-Japan dispute over Kuril Islands

Top Japanese diplomat tells Lavrov Russian PM’s trip to Kurils unacceptable — agency

According to the statement on the Japanese foreign ministry’s website, the two ministers discussed a potential peace treaty, issues relating to the joint economic activities on the Southern Kuril Islands and humanitarian exchanges that involve Japanese nationals

TOKYO, August 11. /TASS/. Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in a phone call with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov communicated Tokyo’s position about the working trip of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to the Iturup Island that took place in July, the Kyodo News Agency reported, citing government sources.

It is noted that the top Japanese diplomat in particular stressed that such a trip was unacceptable for Tokyo. However, the official statement about the call published on the Japanese ministry’s website does not mention this. The statement says that the two ministers discussed a potential peace treaty, issues relating to the joint economic activities on the Southern Kuril Islands and humanitarian exchanges that involve Japanese nationals who previously lived on these territories. Moreover, the sides hashed over the bilateral relations and security issues.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also did not mention anything relating to Motegi’s comments about Mishustin’s Iturup trip.

For many decades, Russia and Japan have been in talks to sign a peace treaty after World War II. The main stumbling block to achieving this is the ownership issue over the Southern Kuril Islands, called the Northern Territories in Japan. After the end of World War II, the Kuril Islands were incorporated into the Soviet Union. However, the ownership of Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan Islands and the Habomai Islands has been challenged by Japan. The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly said that Russia’s sovereignty over these islands, which is committed to paper in international documents, cannot be called in question.

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Dispute over Kuril Islands

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