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Japan says disputed islands illegally occupied by Russia

  • Posted By
    10Pointer
  • Categories
    World Affairs
  • Published
    25th Apr, 2022

Context

In the latest version of a diplomatic report (2022 Diplomatic Bluebook), released recently, Japan describes four islands whose ownership it disputes with Moscow as “illegally occupied by Russia”.

2022 Diplomatic Bluebook 

  • The 2022 Diplomatic Bluebook is an annual report on Japan's foreign policy.
  • This annual publication is issued by the Japan’s Foreign Ministry.
  • First issue in: 1957.

The Contested ground

  • The islands, home to rich fishing grounds, are known as the: 
    • Northern Territories in Japan 
    • Southern Kurils in Russia
  • The islands have been a point of controversy between Japan and Russia for decades. 
  • Moscow took control of the islands after World War II in 1945.
  • The Soviet Union, which declared war on Japan days before Emperor Hirohito announced his country’s surrender on August 15, 1945, seized the islands off the north-eastern coast of Hokkaido, expelled all 17,000 Japanese residents and has held the land ever since. 
  • The archipelago extends for 750 miles (1,200 km) from the southern tip of the Kamchatka Peninsula (Russia) to the north-eastern corner of Hokkaido island (Japan) and separates the Sea of Okhotsk from the Pacific Ocean. 
  • The 56 islands cover 6,000 square miles (15,600 square km).

Official position of both the nations:

  • Japan: Japan’s official position is that the islands are an inherent part of its territory and are under illegal occupation. 
  • Russia: Russia insists that it owns the isles, which have been inhabited by its own citizens for generations.

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