Japan’s new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced during the parliamentary debates that Tokyo’s sovereignty extends to the South Kuril Islands. His words convey TASS…
The head of the Japanese Cabinet of Ministers also urged to resolve this issue, not leaving it to the next generations. “The government is determined to conclude a peace treaty with Russia, resolving the problem of ownership of these islands,” he said. Kishida added that he was determined to negotiate with Moscow to resolve the territorial problem based on previous agreements.
Moscow and Tokyo cannot sign a peace treaty following the results of World War II due to the territorial dispute over the southern part of the Kuriles. Japan regards the islands of Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and the Habomai group of islands as their “northern territories”. In turn, Moscow does not recognize the very fact of the territorial dispute.