Japan to again designate Russian-held isles as illegally occupied

Japan has condemned Russia's invasion of its neighbor Ukraine which began on Feb. 24 as "a serious violation of international law," and has joined other Western nations

And Japan is also "a western nation"? Sounds funny.

Today we have Russian-Japanese relationships at zero point.

You can do everything you want - you can't do it worse.

So - every activity is useless.

after stealing the island from Ainu, Japan want to violate the sovereignty of RUSSIA. do it by yourself KISHIDA with your small hands... do not involve the people!

Japan has a window of opportunity,

No Japan does not and stop pushing this dangerous false narrative. If Japan were to attack the Kuriles attempting to take them back they would be on their own. The US would not protect such an act and Japan on its own does not have anything close to the means necessary to retake those islands. What would probably happen is a very ugly response from the Russians when they realize Japan is trying to take advantage of them.

1glen, a concerted move by all of them would over tax the already stretched Russian forces, they have already shifted troops and equipment from the Caucasus.

Japan has a window of opportunity, how they will use it is moot. Military action to retake them? Naval blockade? Nothing?

This might be a good time to put pressure on Russia to return lands seized in WW II. Most of Russia's best land forces are busy getting defeated in Ukraine, and Putin wont't have the money to reequip them, so Japan, Chechnya, Georgia, and Syria, should think about taking back what Russia seized.

I believe the Kishida government made a BIG mistake to side in the Ukraine conflict unconditionally with the US and Europe and condemn Russia. They had the chance to stay neutral and maintain their positive relations with Moscow. It's not always clever to follow the Big brother from the Eastern Pacific in particular when one depends on the good will of Russia. Now the train has departed and who knows whether there will be another chance within the next couple of decades.

Japan will once again describe Russia's decades-long hold over a string of disputed northern islands as an "illegal occupation"

describe?? that'll show 'em!!!

They are not for discussion or dispute and just have to be given back. The situation is very much different when talking about the rest of the Kuril Islands up to Kamchatka and the Southern part of Kurafuto / Sakhalin. Those together are the package where still a discussion is needed and the result or distribution is open. Not those four islands nearest to Hokkaido , they should already be given back latest after the end of the USSR. Also, in my personal opinion, the time of the enthronement of the Reiwa Tenno about 3 years ago or so would have been a perfect possibility to show good will by the responsible uppermost state representatives for peaceful talks , treaty signing and further intensified cooperation and coexistence, by handing over the once occupied islands in a festive ceremony. Regrettably that hasn’t even been considered and the development now goes obviously into the opposite direction, increasing further and unnecessarily the whole conflict potential.

Putin has made it clear, not an inch of Russialands was not needed, Russia is big but not big enough, these islands were part of her "Big"!

Japan would not ever launch a military action to retake the Southern Kuriles without US approval and massive assistance. And Russia would never use nuclear weapons over the Southern Kuriles, one because it doesn't affect Russia's existence (as they have declared) and the US response under Article 5 of the US-Jpn Defense Treaty could draw US nuclear retaliation. Let's get real here.

And with the way things are going, no one with half a brain can say for sure whether the US would approve or not.

Japan needs to amend Article 9 so that the JSDF is not constrained from acting over "territorial disputes". As Japan considers the 4 islands their own territory( as does the US, UK and EU), the JSDF would not be "invading another country". In the meantime, Japan should immediately take Russia to the ICJ.

Negotiations with the Putin adnministration have been and always will remain a waste of time. Rest assured that Russian miltary buildup will only increase in time.

Tara,you seem to be a wise Japanese, Russian have already established air supremacy over Hokkaido with S400 Google Russian Kuril S400

F-35 can handle them. It is exactly weapons like S-400 that the F-35 is designed to defeat.

japan won’t get a better time than now to take them back

Japan's amphibious lift is three ships each capable of landing 300 troops, so 900 troops total or a battalion. Russia has a brigade of 4000-5000 troops defending the Kuriles along with air defense and anti-ship missiles. Russia can be as distracted as you want in Ukraine and the JSDF won't get past what Russia has in position on the Kuriles. And then there is the little detail of Russia's nuclear weapons. Obtw, don't expect the US to rush to Japan's defense if Japan initiates an attack on Russia.

Is there an election coming up?

japan won’t get a better time than now to take them back

Japan be wise, stop provoking Russia.