Japan's PM says it's 'extremely regrettable' that ties with Russia are in difficult state

At a national rally in Tokyo on Tuesday, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio emphasized the commitment of his government to resolve the territorial dispute with Russia and revive bilateral relations, despite the impasse in negotiations due to Russia's incursion into Ukraine, as per a report by NHK Japan. The rally, which is held annually to commemorate Northern Territories Day, advocates for the return of the four islands. As per a treaty signed between Japan and Russia on February 7, 1855, the four islands belong to Japan.

The sovereignty of a group of islands remains disputed, with Russia currently controlling the territory while Japan asserts its claim. According to the Japanese government, the islands were illegally occupied after the conclusion of World War II, which ended with Japan's surrender. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed disappointment that the territorial dispute has yet to be resolved and that a peace treaty has not been signed despite 77 years passing since the end of the war. Despite the deterioration of Japan-Russia relations due to Moscow's actions in Ukraine, Kishida stated that the Japanese government will persist in their efforts to resolve the issue.

"It is extremely regrettable that, 77 years after the war is over, the issue of the northern territories remains unresolved, and a peace treaty has not been signed between Japan and Russia. Currently, the Japanese-Russian relations are in a difficult state due to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. However, the Japanese government is firmly set to resolve the territorial issue and to sign a peace treaty," he said.

The territorial dispute

Japan's Foreign Minister, Hayashi Yoshimasa, has stated that the territorial dispute with Russia remains the foremost obstacle to bilateral relations. At a rally, he pledged to make efforts to meet the expectations of aging former islanders. Additionally, Japanese Prime Minister, Kishida, emphasized the importance of resuming bilateral exchange programs, with a particular focus on allowing former islanders to visit their ancestral graves. The participants at the rally also issued a statement calling for the return of the four islands and for the first time in five years, used the phrase "illegal occupation". Japan claims four of the Kuril Islands as its Northern Territories: Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and Habomai. 

The roots of the dispute can be traced back to the late 19th century, when the empire of Japan began to assert its power in the Pacific and expand its territory. At the end of the 19th century, the Japanese empire expanded its influence over the northern Pacific region and annexed the Kuril Islands, which had previously been under the control of the Russian Empire. The annexation of the islands was facilitated by the Treaty of Portsmouth, which ended the Russo-Japanese War in 1905. The treaty recognized Japanese sovereignty over the islands, but the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the subsequent establishment of the Soviet Union complicated the situation.

In the aftermath of World War II, the Soviet Union occupied the Kuril Islands, which Japan had claimed as its own territory. The islands were then incorporated into the Soviet Union as the Southern Kurils, and the dispute between the two countries over their ownership became more pronounced. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the territorial dispute between Russia and Japan remained unresolved. Japan continues to claim the four southernmost islands as its Northern Territories, while Russia argues that the islands were transferred to the Soviet Union as a result of the outcome of World War II and are now part of the Russian Federation.