Putin calls absence of Russia-Japan peace treaty 'nonsense'

How long has comrade Putin held power now?

Seems like forever.

SmithinJapan

Yeah man, you tell us all about it lol.

Russia wants Japan to recognize that the four islands were legitimately acquired following Tokyo's 1945 surrender in the war,

Yes they do despite Russia's having acquired them illegally after Japan declared unconditional surrender in violation if Allied WWII declarations. Russians are thieves. Just ask the Ukranians.

The islands became Japanese by negotiated Treaty with Russia in 1855, and is exempt from territories to be taken away from Japan because they were taken by war.

The US does not maintain a military presence on Hokkaido. And if Russia returned the four islands they stole, their would obviously be no need for it either.

The U.S., U,.K. and the European Parliament consider the four islands to be Japanese territory under Russian occupation. It's not just Japan.

The USSR/Russia was not a signatory to the San Francisco Peace Treaty of 1951. They did not even attend. So what are Russians doing claiming the islands as theirs?

Russians ...never trust em.

Mr KiplingToday  06:50 pm JST

Japan stole the islands from the Ainu.

The Russians stole Sakhalin from the Ainu, Oroks, Nivkhs, Uilktas, Evenkis, etc. They have yet to be liberated.

If you want a peace treaty with Japan, just give the four islands back to Japan. What are you waiting for? By the way, the name “Vladivostok“ in Russian means “conquer the east.” And you expect Japan to trust you?

From an environmental standpoint, they are better off in Russian hands. The Japanese would just concrete over them and cut all the trees down.

Hmmm… Could you point to a few examples which can support your message? Most islands I have visited are pretty OK. On contrary, Russia is the last country to be concerned about pollution.

What's nonsense is little shorty is still in power. What a maroon.

8TToday 06:43 pm JST

Japan will never get them back period.

Not sure about that. I would not say 'never' but Japan is not in a hurry and can wait it out.

While Russia is a big country, its population is remarkable small. Only about 145 million people with the majority living in the European part of the country.

Living standard on those 4 islands is rather poor, not many people are now living there.

A good relationship with Japan and a regular ferry between those islands and Hokkaido will for sure improve the daily life of these few Russians living there..

Putin is often asking for investment from Japan for these islands, but he is not willing to offer anything in return except a rather worthless piece of paper called a peace treaty.

Putin will not be forever, the question is who will replace him and when...

Japan is wasting its time negotiating with putin-he’s never going to give the islands back. Best policy would be to wait for who comes next and hope he/she is more moderate, when he does eventually lose power..

While the US has returned control of Japan to the Japanese since WWII ended, the same can not be said of Russia. Islands have been returned to Japan's administration and though the US has bases in Japan they are still Japanese territory and the base's remain with Japans full agreement.

Russia has a habit of taking and keeping while the US does not want to keep what it won during war, only that it will no longer threaten the US or it's allies. Japan is now an ally of the US. Perhaps Russia should take a leaf from the US playbook and return control and administration of the four islands to Japan for an agreement for a small Russian military outpost on one island for the next 20 - 50 years.

Russia typically is not willing to return territory or negotiate its handover to anyone. It is no accident that Russia is the worlds largest nation by landmass. It intends to hold on to it all in perpetuity.

what he really means is foreign aid to Russia (only possible with a peace treaty) is nonsensical.

Return the islands to Japanese administration and you can have your peace treaty, Vlad. Until then, no deal and no aid.

Japan has a good strategy to wait. It is totally possible to get these islands back. In 2004 Putin gave to China one and a half Russian owned islands. And before that, drunk Yeltsin almost signed disputed Kuril islands back to Japan, but was timely sobered by his colleague.

Kazuaki ShimazakiToday  06:24 pm JST

@OssanAmericaToday 06:10 pm JST

*Yes they do despite Russia's having acquired them illegally after Japan declared unconditional surrender in violation if Allied WWII declarations. Russians are thieves. Just ask the Ukranians.*

Which the Russians ... may be allowed to do. Because the United States quite undeniably (despite their despicable later backtracking) agreed to give the Kuriles to the USSR in exchange for their miitary involvement. Having already received whatever benefit might have accrued by the Russians declaring war on the Japanese, they are in no position to unilaterally reinterpret what they've commited to downwards.

Wrong.

"This article looks at two prevalent misconceptions about the U.S. government's policies on the Kuril - Northern Territories - Islands dispute. The first is that Roosevelt agreed at the Yalta Conference to cede "all" of the Kurils to the Soviet Union. In fact, the Yalta agreement never used the word "all" and it was only during August 1945, during a series of exchanges between Stalin and Truman, that Truman agreed in General Order No. 1 to grant the USSR occupation rights to "all" of the Kurils, including the southernmost islands traditionally considered to be part of Hokkaido. The Department of State's interpretation of the Yalta agreement and General Order No. 1 was that the Soviet occupation of the southernmost Kuril islands was intended to be a temporary military occupation only, until such a time that a Soviet-Japanese peace treaty transferred sovereignty of the Kurils to the USSR"

https://www.jstor.org/stable/2761081

Lol　concluding any treaties with Russia is "nonsense" especially while concluding any international treaties is getting nonsense these days. If Putin's Russia wants to have better relation, meaning Japan's money, just shut the heck up and return the 4 islands in the 1st place and wait for Japan's reaction.

How long has comrade Putin held power now?

Seems like forever.

20 or so years, so far. Putin's in charge until 2036, which must please many right wingers n the US and around the globe. Putin's the kind of 'strong' leader they seem to prefer. And his brand of authoritarian capitalism, called state capitalism by some, fascism by others is the kind of political/economic system the farthest right seem to want.

Thinking out of the box. To ensure peace and to end endless discussions, all territories in dispute worldwide should automatically become UN United Nations property, so, ALL members would have the privilege to live there, peacefully, deadly weapons forbidden there. Such a shame to fight for land that belongs to the entire mankind. The world will become a better place to live if there are no boundaries, no more frontiers.

Putin - evil, murderous, ex-Commie.

Japan won't trust a single word that comes out of his sick mouth.

Japan stole the islands from the Ainu.

Can you please cite any document where the Ainu declared sovereignty over the islands, and it was recognized internationally?

No? Because they never did.

They are 100% Japanese islands. End of.

For those who doesn't understand, the main reason why these islands are so important to not be in Russia hands is it strategic location. Is just too close near Japan to be of comfort. Russia might be afraid the US would install missiles on Japan soil, but this same fear is also on Japan mind that Russia could easily strike or invade because of these islands. Is the same reason why we went to war in the first place with Russia during ww1.

Japan strategy to secure all fronts of it's borders has been going on for more than a 100years now. The original plan was to secure islands in the area to make sure invasion on the mainland is impossible. Having the islands serve as shields in case of a invasion. And this strategy is still being sought after so long. Which is why till this day we are still in dispute with China, Korea and Russia over several strategic islands.

These days is not really about getting them back or not. The main key is to deny Russia the right to truly owned them. As long Russia has troops these and is hosting military drills, the japan government will never feel at ease. Putin trying to have a joint development on these islands is never gonna happen. There is just too much danger and uncertainty in that. Even if he himself promise he doesn't have any ill intention, who can predict 10 years from now. Or when someone else replace him and is more radical toward Japan. All it take is for one crazy person to take hold of power and everything will go wasted. This is why till this day the japanese government still deny them the islands.

They’ll always be a Russian as any allowance for US troops on them by Japan would be too challenging for Russia.

History and its power struggles, surges, and changes always rewrite geography.

Yep and Russia really needs "aid" from Japan.......

Actually he does. His economy is smaller than that of several nations much smaller (smaller than Italy) Russia manufacturers Guns and gas. It’s service industry consists of cyber ransom and organized crime.

If he wants to modernize the country, he needs aid.

Want the aid, Vlad? Give back the islands. Until then, pound sand.

Japan stole the islands from the Ainu.

The Soviet army liberated them. They are now Russian and will forever be Russian.

If Russia had "liberated" the Islands they would now be in the hands of the Ainu. The fact they are in Russian hands simply shows Russia invaded them, threw out the Japanese and occupied the islands themselves. No liberation occurred.

Japan surrendered after being defeated in ww2 but views the loss of the islands as illegal.

The Soviets wanted to take half of Japan also at that time but USA and its allies stopped that from happening.

Putin said recently he's got a game changer plan coming soon concerning those contested kuril islands.

Whats that all about ?

This dispute would best be placed before the International Court of Justice, to determine the rights of all of the claimants, including the indigenous people of the islands.

return Ukraine first

From an environmental standpoint, they are better off in Russian hands. The Japanese would just concrete over them and cut all the trees down.

Nonsense. When Japan gets her islands back, it is highly likely they will be cleaned up of all the Russian environmental and chemical pollution, and turned into pristine eco-resorts.

To be clear, this is what was said at the Plenary session of the Eastern Economic Foorum:

Sergei Brilyov: Mr President . . . You just mentioned the Kuril Islands, a subject brought up here on this platform two years ago, and three years ago. As I understand it, with this new customs freedom, economic freedom, the Japanese are among the foreign participants. But the Japanese always want more. They have insisted on linking the ownership of Russia’s southern Kurils with the peace treaty more than once or twice. A constitutional referendum was held between the previous Eastern Economic Forum and this one, and the Russian Constitution now has a new clause stating that the country's territory is indivisible. Accordingly, the South Kurils are part of the Russian Federation forever. Has this not changed the course of negotiations with the Japanese at all?

Vladimir Putin: This has not changed our approach with regard to our interest in concluding the peace treaty. We believe that the absence of the peace treaty in our relations is absurd. Moreover, both Russia and Japan are interested in the complete and absolute normalisation of relations, considering our mutual strategic interest in developing cooperation.

We have always insisted on the need to respect the results enshrined in international documents, the results of World War II. We have never rejected a dialogue on the peace treaty. We agreed with the former Prime Minister that we were ready to rely on the well-known documents from the 1950s, but our Japanese partners kept changing their mind. I have spoken about this many times, but I will repeat it: first we agreed that we would make the decision based on this well-known document (I mentioned it, the 1958 declaration, I believe). Moreover, both the Supreme Soviet and the Japanese parliament ratified that document, but then the Japanese side refused to implement it, and then they asked us to go back, and we agreed that any further progress would be based on that agreement; then the Japanese side upped their demands.

So this seems like an endless process, but of course, we must take into account existing realities. One of them is that when talking about the peace treaty, we must ensure a peaceful future, which means there must be guarantees against surprises from the possible deployment of American armed forces, let alone missile systems, close to our borders. We have conveyed these questions to the Japanese side. We have not received any answers yet. Therefore, I believe that in this sense, the ball is in our partners’ court.

However, we have agreed on the development of these territories more than once, including the implementation of Japan’s proposals. We considered it our duty to organise the appropriate work and create the necessary conditions for economic and commercial activity. The proposals I have outlined – not proposals, strictly speaking, but the plans I have laid out in my remarks – are the implementation of these joint agreements.

Sergei Brilyov: I understand the joint economic and commercial activity, but last year's amendments to the Russian Constitution cancel the 1950s declaration, do they not?

Vladimir Putin: We need to look closely at this declaration, and we need to look closely at the amended Constitution and draw the appropriate conclusions.

http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/66586

mz16Today  08:52 pm JST

The islands will never be Japanese, with the risk of Japan letting their US pals set up bases on the Kurils.

How many US bases are there in Hokkaido?

Harry_GattoToday 11:12 pm JST

mz16Today  08:52 pm JST

The islands will never be Japanese, with the risk of Japan letting their US pals set up bases on the Kurils.

How many US bases are there in Hokkaido?

None. But Misawa is sure close by.

Wait until Putin is gone then make a peace treaty. It has been over 75 years so why hurry.

Mr. Putin will not live forever. Japan will still be here long after Mr. Putin is pushing up daisies. Russia itself might devolve into something else. Its future is uncertain as its population declines and male life expectancies in some regions fall into the mid to low 50s. Be patient and wait for things in Russia to change. They will.

And Russia is part of Europe and part of Asia incase some people don't realize that.

The Russians stole Sakhalin from the Ainu, Oroks, Nivkhs, Uilktas, Evenkis, etc. They have yet to be liberated.

USA and Canada stole their entire landmass. Can't return it to the rightful owners because Anglo-Americans killed them all.

The most disgusting is those who always post superficial humane ideal comments on how things should have been. Start the war？ Look once again into Asian Map of early 20 century, or think over what Westerners including Russians did to native people ( or countries) who had been closing doors trying not to be bothered.

The world history exists since long before WW2 and does not need Allies propaganda any more , painting and coating as if "they are justice".

Look at the mess Ex-Allies are causing against the world peace this day.

What's nonsense Mr Putin is your country 10000x the size of Japan. Now you want the Artic too, more land, you want Crimea too, more Land.

Russia doesn't need more land or islands Mr. Putin...... IT NEEDS BETTER LEADERSHIP AND WEALTH DISTRIBUTION.

Russia=Always the Poor Man of Europe and the Poor Man of Asia.

I agree the indigenous people of those islands never were allowed to make a legitimate claim is the only reason they were not internationally recognized as native lands

It is nonsense cause its a deal with the Russians!

 It’s service industry consists of cyber ransom and organized crime.

Lol, that might be the quote of the week here. Bravo.

As far as I'm concerned, if you start a war, slaughter hundreds of thousands of people and then loose that war, you're lucky to be left with the entirety of your country much less worry about a few uninhabited islands. Count your blessings Japan. Don't need any treaty. Those islands are gone. Be thankful that's all they took.

The Russia/Japan issue is best covered in Chapter 3 of 'The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism'.

Joseph-

To be constructively critical concerning your comment on the Japan Russia peace treaty Nonsense, and the loss of lives prior to the defeat and surrender of Japans imperial military of ww2

It's estimated that during the reign of the 124th emperor hirohito or showa era that around 30 million people were slaughtered not hundreds of thousands.

Ghengis Khan - 40 million killed

Emperor hirohito- 30 million killed

Adolf Hitler-25 - million killed

Timur - 17 million killed

Stalin - 15 million killed

Indigenous Americans lost 145 million native lives

And the list goes on the needless suffering and loss of lives

So, Vlad admits that Russian policy vis a vis Japan has been nonsensical for over 70 years.

Once they are returned to Japan, they can become World Heritage sites.

Japan will never get them back period.

Who needs land more???

Not Russia. Infinite land,resources, water, more then they'll ever need or use!!!

Russia=similar population to Japan, with 10000x the land, water, and resources.

You don't need any more Russia, we need to figure out how the world can get back it's land. How 7 Billion people can get back it's land from the greedy Russian!!!

From Asia alone they stole 100000 kms.

@Peter

Is that what Russians tell themselves when you attack and take Crimea back by force.... We liberate them??

Attacking Ukraine, keeping them from joining EU. Taking land and water away from the Ukrainian people.

Russians call it liberation!!

Russia spreading like a Cancer,keeping countries poor, weak, it's called Liberation in Russia!

"It is totally possible to get these islands back. In 2004 Putin gave to China one and a half Russian owned islands."

Didn't know this. Not to state the obvious, but China is not Japan. For an ex-KGB guy like Putin in 2004 to agree to return disputed territories to a country under Communist Party rule (and that had been aligned with the USSR during World War II before it went communist) probably wasn't hard for him. But for Russia to give back control of even 2 of the 4 disputed Kuril Islands to non-communist, US-aligned Japan would be to acknowledge that the Soviet declaration of war on imperial, quasi-fascist Japan in August 1945 was illegitimate. Returning any territory to Japan for Russia would be like returning any part of Kaliningrad (formerly East Prussia) to present-day, US-aligned Germany. And the disputed Kuril Islands aren't as small as you may think. If returned to Japan, Iturup (or Etorofu) would become Japan's fifth largest island after the four main Japanese islands.

Russia is not a country of the western civilization. We cannot reason with them.

JosephToday  05:06 am JST

As far as I'm concerned, if you start a war, slaughter hundreds of thousands of people and then loose that war, you're lucky to be left with the entirety of your country much less worry about a few uninhabited islands. 

That's only because you never read the Cairo and Potsdam Declarations or the text of the 1951 San Francisco Peace Treaty or the 1855 Treaty of Shimoda between Russia and Japan. What is it they call "bliss"?

The Northern Territories were never culturally part of the Russian Federation.

They were torn from the Japanese people, looted, over the graves of, quote Ainu, Oroks, Nivkhs, Uilktas, Evenkis, etc.

The indigenous population expelled and those graves, the culture and land reduced to spoils of war.

What goes around comes around. As that thug Putin is fully aware.

The absence of a new politician who can lead Russia is non-sense. You're saying the great mother Russia has NO ONE capable to lead other than this guy ?

@ "Kazuaki Shimazaki"

And your source is? Post it to prove your claim.

@ "Invar" 18:01

Like Finland and the other Baltic states? Hah!

Historically, like Turkey? Hah!

Eastern Europe? Hah!

Maybe there is a compromise, some form of demilitarized joint diplomatic treaty based proprietorship agreement on the region in dispute.

The pinch, Putin is totally untrustworthy,

No country achieves diddly squat by force/military action.

Look at the poo storm that's Afghanistan.

Besides the people of Japan are hardly likely to up pitchfork's and march on the Northern Territories.

Putin the bully

The only wars Japan won were sneak attacks ruthless and cruel.

War is ruthless and cruel. Just a reminder that there was no such thing like sneak attacks either until Hague1907

P. SmithToday  05:29 am JST

When Japan disclaimed sovereignty over these islands, the Soviet’s found themselves on islands owned by nobody.

There really isn’t any sort of territorial dispute here beyond the faux dispute Japan uses to whip up nationalism at home.

The 39 signatory nations to the 1951 San Francisco Treaty feel otherwise since the USSR did not attend or sign it. How much is the Russian government paying you for your posts?

Russia wants Japan to recognize that the four islands -- known as the Southern Kurils in Russia and the Northern Territories in Japan -- were legitimately acquired following Tokyo's 1945 surrender in the war, while Japan takes the view that the seizure was illegal.

The islands were stolen from Japan.

The Soviets at that time are no different from Putin, cowards who prey on the weak!

Maybe the two countries can consider returning the islands to Japan, and having a peaceful, non-military Russian presence . . . .

Give us back our Hoppo Ryodo

It's a little ridiculous.

Japan's neighbors = Russia, North Korea, South Korea, China.

Japan neighbors it has a good relationship with =

Those lands are not part of Japan. Just as Japan took them from the native people by force, Russia took them from Japan by force. Such things are always "messy" and one side is always unhappy with the outcome but it is what it is. It would be a huge boon for Japan to have a good relationship with Russia.

If Russia give the islands back, Japan will promise not to let the yankees build military bases… sounds like a fair deal to me!

Bob, that is the fundamental flaw of the theoretical debate on "what about".

One doesn't for a moment negate acceptance, or condemnation, either making an argument for tit for tat.

@Baradzed

Well, pollution is a synonym of the civilization these days. So there's no such certainty that japanese approach "get everywhere, make it available, livable, likable" would do good to the nature of the place right now. Maybe some more years of non-disturbance is better.

If Japan really wants these islands, just take them by force.

Should be legal to declare rightful ownership and declare the repossession an act of self defense.

And time the move when an allied war game is happening nearby, with a couple of aircraft carrier groups for backup. Have a dual offensive-defensive missile system ready to install to discourage any countermove by the Russians.

Japan easily won the Japan-Russo War in 1903 and its about time they reminded Russia that they're not to be bullied or taken lightly!

If and Israel returns Palestine back to the Palestinians, then may be Russia will return these islands back to Japan, LOL

Like Finland and the other Baltic states? Hah!

Historically, like Turkey? Hah!

Eastern Europe? Hah!

Say what? Personally I'm from Norway but as far as I know, Finland has a good relationship with Russia. They have pledged neutrality. A good idea without doubt! The Baltic states are in NATO but I think it's Estonia in particular which has a good relationship with Russia. The ethnic Russian guy is the mayor of Tallinn and hugely popular. If the Baltic states were genuine democracies he would be President. As for eastern Europe, which includes such anti-Russian countries are Serbia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Slovakia....... Not to mention Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova. Russia has more friends than enemies in eastern Europe.

As for Turkey, I think they have had some bad experiences with Russia in the way of around 20 wars and every one of them lost. Now they seemingly have a pretty good relationship. It's good for both sides as would a good relationship be for Japan and Russia, especially Japan.

When your country is the biggest in the world 10000x the size of Japan. Yet the Russian wants more!!! He wants the Artic too and Crimea. Because that's what's fair. The Russian getting everything.

-We don't want your gray buildings or your cheap vodka. Keep it to yourself.

Focus on your people not leaving Russia in a hurry, women not being listed online trying to find foreign husband to escape.

Why?

The only wars Japan won were sneak attacks ruthless and cruel.

Taking by force or attempting to take the Russia controlled or occupied islands that were formerly Japan prior to ww2 is a bad idea.

Russia had offered to give them back if Japan could get the USA military to leave Japan ,but i seriously doubt that might happen.

Who knows.

Japan should not keep changing its mind. Peace in the world very important.

Russia=Enemy of Europe.

Russia=Enemy of Asia.

Russia=Enemy of Islam.

It’s quite a misleading discussion. Of course, the four nearest islands are Japanese and should be given back without conditions. What still has to be negotiated are the rest of the Kuril Islands up to Kamchatka and the southern part of Kurafuto / Sakhalin as a package, which side gets which of it and such. A peace treaty has nothing to do with some islands or open disputes and can be prepared and signed any time. Such a treaty is affecting both countries and all bilateral relationships, cultural, economical and much more. That is the nonsense, to make it linked or dependent from such island discussions. Btw. you can check yourself about the area really to to be discussed about, if buying that atlas for ¥110 in the stores with those prices, you surely know the name. Now you could say, well that is the Japanese version, of course the area is marked in their interest. But no, every standard atlas shows that so, for example decades ago, my school atlas showed the same situation, and those maps were provided and taught at schools in an under Soviet Union influenced country, so they surely knew and know themselves about the real situation they now deny , and know what the dispute or negotiation has really to be about. As I said, all Kuril Islands above the four islands of the Northern territories plus the southern Kurafuto / Sakhalin island part as a negotiable , still undistributed area “package”. Easiest solution, go back to 1917 , before the USSR, and make it the same as then, when there also were a Russian and a Japanese empire. I don’t understand what is so difficult in finding that common sense pragmatic solution.

@@malcelito

No , they call it common sense, he is right . It's been over 70 years since Japan lost the war ..." get over it " isn't that what the right-wing loves to tell other countries re WW2? Hypocrisy much?

Which country's right wingers love to tell as such? to which country? Looks very much you are implying Japanese right wingers telling it to South Korea. Stop joking, Japanese right wing don't say that, they say, "just shut the heck up, you bunch of liars"

IngvarToday  06:01 pm JST

It's a little ridiculous.

Japan's neighbors = Russia, North Korea, South Korea, China.

Japan neighbors it has a good relationship with =

Those lands are not part of Japan. Just as Japan took them from the native people by force, Russia took them from Japan by force. Such things are always "messy" and one side is always unhappy with the outcome but it is what it is. It would be a huge boon for Japan to have a good relationship with Russia

Would you please link some documents about what Japan did to take those 4 islands from indigenous people by force?

Oh wait. it would be fun to redraw the world map where every countries to return all the lands back to native people.

Mr KiplingToday  06:50 pm JST

Japan stole the islands from the Ainu.

The Soviet army liberated them. They are now Russian and will forever be Russian.

I think it was Yeltsin that said "If you want them back.... fight a war for them."

Baka jane

As long as there are potential possibilities that the US military try to put its military bases on the northern islands, Putin/Russia will never give 1 or 2 islands back to Japan even if Japan promised "no bases there" to Russia or the US promised as well. This is more or less understandable.

what he really means is foreign aid to Russia (only possible with a peace treaty) is nonsensical.

Return the islands to Japanese administration and you can have your peace treaty, Vlad. Until then, no deal and no aid.

Yep and Russia really needs "aid" from Japan.......

From an environmental standpoint, they are better off in Russian hands. The Japanese would just concrete over them and cut all the trees down.

Japan stole the islands from the Ainu.

Of course. They ought to be returned. Wait a sec … okay. Paper and pencil ready. Now give me the names of the Ainu the islands were stolen from. They’ll be contacted and informed they can soon take possession. What’s that you say? They’re all long dead? Gee, that complicates things…

The four islands are Russian. Period. They are not lived on, administered, or protected by Japan, and never will be again. They had a chance to get two back, but when Right-wingers here scoffed at the idea the cowardly politicians backed down and got what they deserved for it instead -- none.

The Russians stole Sakhalin from the Ainu, Oroks, Nivkhs, Uilktas, Evenkis, etc. They have yet to be liberated.

While you're at it, please also liberate Alaska, Hawaii and mainland US native populations.

We can bring Russia to their knees, without firing a shot,by destroy ing their economy, Trump had the opportunity,he bowed to his master,you wonder why

In Scandinavia there is a very popular weekly news program about "what happened in Russia this week". By "Russia" they mean Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Armenia and etc. My uncle knowing I was in Japan was confused. The entire cast was confused. During the G-20 in Japan which Putin was attending, the Japanese regime presented those islands as part of Japan. The hosts of the TV program were confused. They conclude that the ruling class of the Japanese state actually had no ambition of those islands being under Japanese administration. They were just trying to make a scene to suit themselves.

Welcome to capitalism circa 2021.

While the US has returned control of Japan to the Japanese since WWII ended...

Maybe in image only. Japan can't go potty without asking the US first.

The islands will never be Japanese, with the risk of Japan letting their US pals set up bases on the Kurils.

@OssanAmericaToday 06:10 pm JST

Yes they do despite Russia's having acquired them illegally after Japan declared unconditional surrender in violation if Allied WWII declarations. Russians are thieves. Just ask the Ukranians.

Which the Russians ... may be allowed to do. Because the United States quite undeniably (despite their despicable later backtracking) agreed to give the Kuriles to the USSR in exchange for their miitary involvement. Having already received whatever benefit might have accrued by the Russians declaring war on the Japanese, they are in no position to unilaterally reinterpret what they've commited to downwards.

The Potsdam Declaration actually differs from the Cairo Declaration. In Cairo it is about "violence and greed". By Potsdam that has grown into "as we determine" (free, unprincipled reduction is now permitted).

The US does not maintain a military presence on Hokkaido. And if Russia returned the four islands they stole, their would obviously be no need for it either.

"Trust us! We are good!" Pathetic.

The U.S., U,.K. and the European Parliament consider the four islands to be Japanese territory under Russian occupation. It's not just Japan.

This is what one should consider a purely political position based on Russophobia than a reasoned legal decision.

The Americans would want to build bases on the islands, the temptation would just be too great-they’re better off in Russian hands 100%!

Japan stole the islands from the Ainu.

The Soviet army liberated them. They are now Russian and will forever be Russian.

I think it was Yeltsin that said "If you want them back.... fight a war for them."

Japan is so screwed now!

The four islands are Russian. Period. They are not lived on, administered, or protected by Japan, and never will be again.

Who knows what will happen in 100 or 200 years but communism and the non existence of the nation state is far more likely than the Japanese state gaining administrative control over those lands. Japan should concentrate on keeping Hokkaido. That means taxing capitalists x 10 and giving the money to families.

It's Japan that is at fault here.

Do the old men in LDP seek to have wars with 4 countries (Russia, North Korea, South Korea and China) at the same time?

Putin is almost always right. I wish we had him in Japan.

Hail Putin!!! Live foRussia