Northern Territories Day

Russia will never give them back, so stop whinning and accept the consciquences of your actions.

Look at that festive sign and Northern Territories spirit on everyone's faces!

For godsakes! Will someone please smile! Maybe thats all that east Asia needs for peace and harmony. It looks like Invasion of the Body Snatchers meets the Japanese version of Cocoon.

You gotta love it. This guy has the gall to demand the four islands back immediately then goes off to Russia to back Putin.

Serrano: ""Russia has offered to return 2 ( of the islands they stole )"

Show me where Russia admits they stole them, my friend, and I'll give you a unicorn. They are not the "Northern Territories", they are the Kuriles. Japan is lucky Russia is desperate enough to want to give enough half back. It's amusing to hear rightists think Abe and Co. are on their game and that getting the offer of two back means eventually they will get all four. Spoils of war, I'm afraid, and the war was still on (much as some don't like to admit it) between Russia and Japan when the Russians took the islands. They have been since lived on and administered by Russia, so why doesn't Japan just forget it and move on already? Oh wait... that's only what people suggest when Japan was the aggressor.... errr... in their minds 'saviour' of Asia.

Hope Abe gets a nice swift talking to in Russia, and a kick out the door with the two islands taken off the table.

aussie: "Possibly because Japan took territory from Russia after the 1904-05 war, Russia felt nothing wrong with doing the same to Japan in 1945"

Exactly! But the wingers here like to forget Japan took territory first, and instead just claim it is rightfully theirs while the territory Russia took (back) in war is not theirs at all.

Serrano, nope Russia never admitted to anything, they just have no use or resources to develop for two of em so they offered to split the bills and reap the profits together.. I reckon that is as good as offer as Japan ever gets. Maybe after a bit of Sochi budget hit Russia would ask for less cash but seems unlikely to me

Russia will never give them back

Russia has offered to return 2, Japan wants all 4. Well they are definitely not going to get all four back

Abe must've been getting bored talking about China and Taiwan and Korea taking our islands. Hmm...which of our other neighbors can we start screaming at about this? Maybe we can try to claim Guam next - that'd be exciting.

Look at that festive sign and Northern Territories spirit on everyone's faces! Ha! Yes. This hits the nail on the head.

Looks like one fun gathering. A bunch of stone-faced fogies, sitting there claiming yet another set of islets. Next up: Australia.

The banner in rear reads “Return the Four Northern Islands.” Immediately after the rally, Abe left for Sochi to attend the opening ceremony

Abe should realized that he is in Sochi for kissing and hugging Putin for not being sidelined with PRC for Senkaku issue. On the other hand, he is demanding Putin for his fantasy for getting all islands back during his term. He has changed his face like Kabuki dancer within a minute. It is unthinkable for nutty as head of state for hitting two birds together at the same time. Besides that Russians are glorifying their big event. It is worse than spitting their face during the ceremony.

Russia will not vote for Japan in the future when Japan needed more votes in UN. It can transform Japan as land of the setting Sun in UN.

With the intention of taking as much Japanese occupied territory as possible, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan on August 8 and snapped up the Northern Territories only ten days later on August 18, three days after Hirohito broadcast his decision to surrender (Aug. 15).

That Russia joined the war at all was because the US asked them to (people also forget that Russia had a non-aggression pact with Japan, valid till 1946) The US was unsure whether their Manhattan project would be successful, so asking the Russians to join in, with the incentive of taking some of Japan`s territories, was an insurance policy. As we know however the project was successful. Possibly because Japan took territory from Russia after the 1904-05 war, Russia felt nothing wrong with doing the same to Japan in 1945

If these islands are indeed "floating" off Hokkaido, can't Japan just send out the whaling fleet to harpoon them and drag them home?

Immediately after the rally, Abe left for Sochi to attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics and hold a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Sounds like something Abe would do..

This lot look like they tottered in off the street expecting a game of bingo only to be disappointed to see Abe.

Russia, as successor state to the Soviet Union, received administration over these islands in accordance with international legal instruments, adopted by Allied powers during and after World War II.

And wouldn't that carefully-crafted bit of calligraphy be a bit more effective in Russian?

Something tells me this was done for domestic consumption, a la chinoise.

serrano:

Ever look at a map of the area? You can't seriously tell me that Kunashiri, Shikotan and the Habomai Islets should belong to Russia, being as how they are much closer to Hokkaido than the nearest bonafide Russian territory. Etorofu is a toss-up.

Using your logic, Diaoyu should belong to Taiwan. But Japan managed to invade a formerly-independent Ryukyu and stretch its territory right down to Taiwan. And then Argentina should get the Falklands. I'd say the Southern Kuriles should go to the Ainus. Hell, why stop there. Give Hokkaido back to the Ainus.

Being as how Russia has like a thousand times the land area of Japan, how about giving it back to Japan? No good?

In that case, let China have their EEZ. I gather you have seen the size of Japan's EEZ?

Yeah, I thought not. One rule for Japan. Another for everyone else.

Russia took the islands almost 70 years ago. It's time Japan moved on.

Happy Northern Territories Day Everyone!

this guy is stupid? how can go to sochi but at the same time make a demand, those are not Chinese who you demanding abe.

Does abe know there is some called the Internet? Does he understand how things wirk these days? That news travel faster than ever? It seems to me a foolish move to hang out with his right-wing sponsors just before begging Putin to give some land back. Oh, well...

is it me or everyone notice same thing.Why its always japan which have something with its neighbors?

"So, the Russians have admitted they have something that doesn't belong to them."

No different from Japan who decided to cancel an agreement with China to leave the "territorial dispute" for future generation and then claimed there is no dispute at all.

If Japan can keep war loots, so as Russia. You reap what you sow.

Sheesh, another pointless distraction.....but one that might just improve China's and SK's positions on other islands.

It's fortunate that Russia's press is not as free as Japan's. Otherwise, this stuff will be all over Russia, and Abe will be booed when he gets there to suck up to Putin.

This comes a day before he's set to meet Putin to negotiate a peace treaty to WW2 that will put the Northern Islands issue to rest permanently. This either is a good idea or a bad idea.

With the intention of taking as much Japanese occupied territory as possible, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan on August 8 and snapped up the Northern Territories only ten days later on August 18, three days after Hirohito broadcast his decision to surrender (Aug. 15).

Unlike the Northern Territories, Hokkaido (and northern Honshu) was very fortunately spared Soviet occupation, a scenario that otherwise would have developed if the war had continued slightly longer, which would have meant Japan even today might have been in a similar situation to South Korea-North Korea (the latter of which Russia did grab in the Aug 9 to Aug 20 Manchuria campaign).

In my humble eyes, Northern Territory is the official name of one division of Australia federation according world map. If Abe claim that Northern territory from Au, it may be easier than demanding of Japan Northern Territory. Australia is friendlier to Japan rather than Russia.

this video confirms it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixFupIoseMg&feature=youtu.be

I really can't understand what they celebrate??? for what aim they are sitting there with so "expressive" smile... may be they grieve about smith.? but about what?! I think that when people grieve about smith. it is not shown for every body or they hope that when Russians see their sad faces they will give back Kuril Islands at once?! I also surprised why they can't accept that this territories are Russian for sure... there are a lot of, just great amount of arguments of Russian legal ownership... it makes me to think that Japanese are stupid like donkey...

have a fun celebration!

smithinjapanFeb. 07, 2014 - 05:54PM JST Japan is lucky Russia is desperate enough to want to give enough half back.

Really half back? Return of the two smallest islands near Hokaiddo amounts to only 8 percent of total land of the four islands. So what your saying is that Russia can keep 92 percent of the land?

Ain't gonna happen. So just let them get it out of their system.

Here we are, in an article about Japan, Russia and the Southern Kuriles. And half the posters here have to bring up the topic of China. I know, why don't we blame China for the Southern Kuriles dispute.

Serrano: According to you and the Russians. And the rest of the world.

Serrano: Ever look at a map of the area? You can't seriously tell me that Kunashiri, Shikotan and the Habomai Islets should belong to Russia, being as how they are much closer to Hokkaido than the nearest bonafide Russian territory. Etorofu is a toss-up. Being as how Russia has like a thousand times the land area of Japan, how about giving it back to Japan? No good?

No, no good, friend. Island ownership has nothing to do with "what country is nearest" or "what country is bigger." If either of those cases were true, then Japan should give Okinawa to Taiwan.

@FizzBit

Abe's ribbon is bigger than the others. The blue ribbon MUST mean you still have a deed of ownership.

No it means he is the biggest target!

"Russia took the islands almost 70 years ago. It's time Japan moved on."

Statute of limitations ran out, I guess. If you're not caught/held accountable for a crime within a certain time period, you're off scot-free!

Abe's ribbon is bigger than the others.

The blue ribbon MUST mean you still have a deed of ownership.

"Russia has offered to return 2 ( of the islands they stole )"

So, the Russians have admitted they have something that doesn't belong to them. They should return all of the Northern territories immediately, along with a sincere apology, and ask the Japanese to consider allowing any Russians who wish to continue living there to do so in some way.

smith: "Show me where Russia admits they stole them, my friend,"

I'm not your friend, but when Russia offered to return two of the islands, that was an admission that they have something that doesn't belong to them.

""They are not the "Northern Territories, they are the Kuriles."

According to you and the Russians. According to the Japanese, they are the Northern Territories, not the "Kuriles."

Ever look at a map of the area? You can't seriously tell me that Kunashiri, Shikotan and the Habomai Islets should belong to Russia, being as how they are much closer to Hokkaido than the nearest bonafide Russian territory. Etorofu is a toss-up. Being as how Russia has like a thousand times the land area of Japan, how about giving it back to Japan? No good?