The problem of the Kuril Islands. Conflict between Japan and the USSR over the Kuril Islands

The Kuril Islands problem

Segorskikh A.

group 03 History

The so-called "disputed territories" include the islands of Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and Habomai (the Small Kuril ridge consists of 8 islands).

Usually when discussing a problem disputed territories consider three groups of problems: historical parity in the discovery and development of the islands, the role and significance of the Russian-Japanese treaties of the 19th century, which established the border between the two countries, as well as the legal force of all documents regulating the post-war world order. It is especially interesting in this matter that all the historical treaties of the past, to which Japanese politicians refer, lost their force in today's disputes, not even in 1945, but back in 1904, with the beginning of the Russian-Japanese war, because international law says: a state of war between states terminates all and all treaties between them. For this reason alone, the entire "historical" layer of the argument of the Japanese side has nothing to do with the rights of today's Japanese state. Therefore, we will not consider the first two problems, but dwell on the third.

The very fact of Japan's attack on Russia in the Russo-Japanese War was a gross violation of the Shimoda Treaty, which proclaimed "permanent peace and sincere friendship between Russia and Japan." After the defeat of Russia, the Portsmouth Peace Treaty was concluded in 1905. The Japanese side demanded Sakhalin Island from Russia as an indemnity. The Treaty of Portsmouth terminated the exchange agreement of 1875, and also stated that all trade agreements between Japan and Russia were canceled as a result of the war. This annulled the Simodan Treaty of 1855. Thus, by the time of the conclusion on January 20, 1925. Convention on the basic principles of relations between Russia and Japan, in fact, there was no valid bilateral agreement on the ownership of the Kuril Islands.

The question of restoring the rights of the USSR to the southern part of Sakhalin and Kurile Islands was discussed in November 1943. at the Tehran Conference of the Heads of the Allied Powers. At the Yalta Conference in February 1945. the leaders of the USSR, the USA and Great Britain finally agreed that after the end of the Second World War, South Sakhalin and all the Kuril Islands would pass to the Soviet Union, and this was a condition for the USSR to enter the war with Japan - three months after the end of the war in Europe.

February 2, 1946 followed by Presidium Decree The Supreme Council The USSR, which established that all the land with its subsoil and waters on the territory of South Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands is state property of the USSR.

On September 8, 1951, 49 states signed a peace treaty with Japan in San Francisco. The draft agreement was prepared during the period " cold war"without the participation of the USSR and in violation of the principles of the Potsdam Declaration. The Soviet side proposed to carry out demilitarization and ensure the democratization of the country. The USSR, and with it Poland and Czechoslovakia, refused to sign the treaty. Nevertheless, Article 2 of this treaty states that Japan refuses from all rights and legal grounds to the island of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. Thus, Japan itself renounced territorial claims to our country, backing it up with its signature.

But later the United States began to argue that the San Francisco Peace Treaty did not indicate in whose favor Japan renounced these territories. This laid the foundations for territorial claims.

1956, Soviet-Japanese negotiations on the normalization of relations between the two countries. The Soviet side agrees to cede the two islands of Shikotan and Habomai to Japan and proposes to sign a Joint Declaration. The declaration assumed first the conclusion of a peace treaty and only then the "transfer" of the two islands. The transfer is an act of goodwill, a willingness to dispose of one's own territory "in accordance with the wishes of Japan and taking into account the interests of the Japanese state." Japan, on the other hand, insists that "return" preceded a peace treaty, because the very concept of "return" is a recognition of the illegality of their belonging to the USSR, which is a revision not only of the very results of World War II, but also of the principle of the inviolability of these results. American pressure played a role and the Japanese refused to sign a peace treaty on our terms. The subsequently concluded security treaty (1960) between the United States and Japan made it impossible to transfer Shikotan and Habomai to Japan. Our country, of course, could not give the islands for American bases, as well as bind itself with any obligations to Japan in the Kuril Islands.

On January 27, 1960, the USSR announced that since this agreement was directed against the USSR and the PRC, the Soviet government refused to consider the transfer of these islands to Japan, as this would lead to an expansion of the territory used by American troops.

Currently, the Japanese side claims that the islands of Iturup, Shikotan, Kunashir and the Habomai ridge, which have always been Japanese territory, are not part of the Kuril Islands, which Japan abandoned. The US government, regarding the scope of the Kuril Islands concept in the San Francisco Peace Treaty, stated in an official document: were part of Japan proper and, therefore, should be rightly recognized as being under Japanese sovereignty. "

A worthy answer about territorial claims to us on the part of Japan was given in his time: "The borders between the USSR and Japan should be considered as the result of the Second World War."

In the 90s, when meeting with the Japanese delegation, he also strongly opposed the revision of the borders, stressing that the borders between the USSR and Japan were "legal and legally grounded." Throughout the second half of the 20th century, the question of belonging to the southern group of the Kuril Islands Iturup, Shikotan, Kunashir and Habomai (in the Japanese interpretation - the question of the "northern territories") remained the main stumbling block in Japanese-Soviet (later Japanese-Russian) relations.

In 1993, the Tokyo Declaration on Russian-Japanese relations was signed, which states that Russia is the successor of the USSR and that all agreements signed between the USSR and Japan will be recognized by Russia and Japan.

On November 14, 2004, on the eve of the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Japan, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Russia, as the successor state of the USSR, recognizes the 1956 Declaration as existing and is ready to conduct territorial negotiations with Japan on its basis. This formulation of the question caused a lively discussion among Russian politicians... Vladimir Putin supported the position of the Foreign Ministry, stipulating that Russia "will fulfill all the obligations it has assumed" only "to the extent that our partners are ready to fulfill these agreements." Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi said in response that Japan is not satisfied with the transfer of only two islands: "If the ownership of all the islands is not determined, the peace treaty will not be signed." At the same time, the Japanese prime minister promised to show flexibility in determining the timing of the transfer of the islands.

On December 14, 2004, US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld expressed his readiness to assist Japan in resolving the dispute with Russia over the South Kuriles. Some observers see this as a rejection of US neutrality in the Japanese-Russian territorial dispute. Yes, and a way to divert attention from their actions at the end of the war, as well as to maintain the equality of forces in the region.

During the Cold War, the United States supported Japan's position in the dispute over the South Kuriles and did everything to ensure that this position did not soften. It was under pressure from the United States that Japan reconsidered its attitude to the 1956 Soviet-Japanese declaration and began to demand the return of all disputed territories. But at the beginning of the 21st century, when Moscow and Washington found a common enemy, the United States stopped making any statements about the Russian-Japanese territorial dispute.

On August 16, 2006, a Japanese fishing schooner was detained by Russian border guards. The schooner refused to obey the commands of the border guards, warning fire was opened on it. During the incident, one member of the schooner's crew was fatally wounded in the head. This provoked a sharp protest from the Japanese side. Both sides claim that the incident took place in their own territorial waters. This is the first recorded death in 50 years of dispute over the islands.

December 13, 2006 The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Taro Aso, at a meeting of the foreign policy committee of the lower house of representatives of parliament, spoke in favor of dividing the southern part of the disputed Kuril Islands with Russia in half. There is a point of view that in this way the Japanese side hopes to solve a long-standing problem in Russian-Japanese relations. However, immediately after the statement of Taro Aso, the Japanese Foreign Ministry disavowed his words, stressing that they had been misinterpreted.

Of course, Tokyo's position on Russia has undergone some changes. She abandoned the principle of "the indivisibility of politics and economics," that is, the rigid linking of the territorial problem with economic cooperation. Now the Japanese government is trying to pursue a flexible policy, which means soft promotion of both economic cooperation and a solution to the territorial problem.

The main factors that need to be considered when solving the problem of the Kuril Islands

· The presence of the richest reserves of marine biological resources in the waters adjacent to the islands;

Underdeveloped infrastructure on the territory of the Kuril Islands, the practical absence of its own energy base with significant reserves of renewable geothermal resources, the lack of its own Vehicle to ensure freight and passenger traffic;

· Proximity and practically unlimited capacity of seafood markets in neighboring countries of the Asia-Pacific region; the need to preserve the unique natural complex of the Kuril Islands, to maintain local energy balance while maintaining the purity of the air and water basins, to protect the unique flora and fauna. The opinion of the local civilian population should be taken into account when developing a mechanism for the transfer of islands. Those who stay should be guaranteed all rights (including property rights), and those who leave should be fully compensated. It is necessary to take into account the readiness of the local population to perceive the change in the status of these territories.

The Kuril Islands are of great geopolitical and military-strategic importance for Russia and affect the national security of Russia. The loss of the Kuril Islands will damage the defense system of the Russian Primorye and weaken the defense capability of our country as a whole. With the loss of the islands of Kunashir and Iturup, the Sea of ​​Okhotsk ceases to be our inland sea. The Kuril Islands and the adjacent water area are the only ecosystem of its kind with the richest natural resources, primarily biological. The coastal waters of the South Kuril Islands and the Lesser Kuril Ridge are the main habitats for valuable commercial fish and seafood species, the extraction and processing of which is the basis of the Kuril Islands economy.

The principle of the inviolability of the results of World War II should be taken as the basis for a new stage in Russian-Japanese relations, and the term "return" should be forgotten. But maybe it is worth letting Japan create a museum of military glory on Kunashir, from which the Japanese pilots bombed Pearl Harbor. Let the Japanese often remember what the Americans did to them in response, and about the US base in Okinawa, but they feel the Russians' tribute to the former enemy.

Notes:

1. Russia and the problem of the Kuril Islands. Defending tactics or surrender strategy. Narochnitskaya N. http: /// analit /

3. The Kuriles are also Russian land. Maksimenko M. http: /// analit / sobytia /

4. Russia and the problem of the Kuril Islands. Defending tactics or surrender strategy. Narochnitskaya N. http: /// analit /

7. Modern Japanese historians about the development of the South Kuril Islands (early XVII - early XIX century) http: // proceedings. /

8. The Kuriles are also Russian land. Maksimenko M. http: /// analit / sobytia /

There are territorial disputes in modern world... Only the Asia-Pacific region has a few of these. The most serious of these is the territorial dispute over the Kuril Islands. Russia and Japan are its main participants. The situation on the islands, which are considered to be of a kind between these states, looks like a dormant volcano. No one knows when he will begin his "eruption".

Discovery of the Kuril Islands

The archipelago, located on the border between the Pacific Ocean, is the Kuril Islands. It stretches from about. Hokkaido to The territory of the Kuril Islands consists of 30 large tracts of land surrounded on all sides by the waters of the sea and ocean, and a large number small.

The first expedition from Europe, which ended up near the shores of the Kuriles and Sakhalin, was the Dutch navigators under the leadership of M. G. Fries. This event took place in 1634. They not only discovered these lands, but also declared them as Dutch territory.

The explorers of the Russian Empire also studied Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands:

• 1646 - discovery of the northwestern Sakhalin coast by the expedition of V.D. Poyarkov;
• 1697 - V.V. Atlasov becomes aware of the existence of the islands.

At the same time, Japanese sailors began to sail to the southern islands of the archipelago. By the end of the 18th century, the appearance of their trading posts and fishing trips was observed here, and a little later - scientific expeditions. M. Tokunai and M. Rinzo play a special role in research. Around the same time, an expedition from France and England appears on the Kuril Islands.

Island discovery problem

The history of the Kuril Islands has still preserved discussions over the issue of their discovery. The Japanese claim that they were the first to find these lands in 1644. National Museum Japanese history carefully keeps the map of that time, on which the corresponding designations are applied. According to them, the Russian people appeared there a little later, in 1711. In addition, the Russian map of this area, dated 1721, designates it as the "Japanese Islands". That is, Japan was the discoverer of these lands.

The Kuril Islands in Russian history were first mentioned in the reporting document of Nikolai Kolobov to Tsar Alexei dated 1646 about the peculiarities of wanderings. Also, the data from the chronicles and maps of medieval Holland, Scandinavia and Germany testify to the indigenous Russian villages.

By the end of the 18th century, their official annexation to the Russian lands took place, and the population of the Kuril Islands acquired Russian citizenship. At the same time, state taxes began to be collected here. But neither then, nor a little later, no bilateral Russian-Japanese treaty or international agreement was signed that would secure Russia's rights to these islands. Moreover, their southern part was not under the rule and control of the Russians.

Kuril Islands and relations between Russia and Japan

The history of the Kuril Islands in the early 1840s is characterized by the intensification of British, American and French expeditions to the Pacific Northwest. This is due to a new surge of Russia's interest in establishing relations with the Japanese side, which have a diplomatic and commercial character. In 1843, Vice-Admiral E.V. Putyatin initiated the idea of ​​equipping a new expedition to Japanese and Chinese territories. But it was rejected by Nicholas I.

Later, in 1844, he was supported by I.F.Kruzenshtern. But this did not receive the support of the emperor.

During this period, the Russian-American company took active steps to establish good relations with the neighboring country.

The first agreement between Japan and Russia

The problem of the Kuril Islands was resolved in 1855, when Japan and Russia signed the first treaty. Before that, a rather lengthy negotiation process took place. It began with the arrival of Putyatin to Shimoda in the late autumn of 1854. But negotiations were soon interrupted by an intense earthquake. A rather serious complication was the support that the French and English rulers provided to the Turks.

The main provisions of the agreement:

• the establishment of diplomatic ties between these countries;
• protection and patronage, as well as ensuring the inviolability of the property of subjects of one state on the territory of another;
• drawing the border between the states, located near the islands of Urup and Iturup of the Kuril archipelago (preservation of the indivisible);
• opening of some ports for Russian seafarers, permission to conduct trade here under the supervision of local officials;
• the appointment of a Russian consul in one of these ports;
• granting the right of extraterritoriality;
• Russia's obtaining the status of the most favored nation.

Japan also received permission from Russia to trade in the port of Korsakov on Sakhalin for 10 years. The country's consulate was established here. At the same time, any trade and customs duties were excluded.

Relationship of countries to the Treaty

A new stage, which includes the history of the Kuril Islands, is the signing of the Russian-Japanese treaty of 1875. It caused mixed reviews from representatives of these countries. The citizens of Japan believed that the government of the country did the wrong thing, exchanging Sakhalin for "an insignificant ridge of pebbles" (as they called the Kuriles).

Others simply put forward statements about the exchange of one territory of the country for another. Most of them were inclined to think that sooner or later the day will come when the war will come to the Kuril Islands. The dispute between Russia and Japan will escalate into hostilities, and battles will begin between the two countries.

The Russian side assessed the situation in a similar way. Most of the representatives of this state believed that the entire territory belonged to them as discoverers. Therefore, the treaty of 1875 did not become the act that once and for all determined the delimitation between the countries. It also failed to be a means of preventing further conflicts between them.

Russo-Japanese war

The history of the Kuril Islands continues, and the next impetus to the complication of Russian-Japanese relations was the war. It took place despite the existence of treaties concluded between these states. In 1904, Japan's treacherous attack on Russian territory took place. This happened before hostilities were officially announced.

The Japanese fleet attacked the Russian ships that were in the outer roadstead of Port Artois. Thus, part of the most powerful ships belonging to the Russian squadron was disabled.

The most significant events of 1905:

• the largest land battle of Mukden in the history of mankind at that time, which took place on February 5-24 and ended with the withdrawal of the Russian army;
• Tsushima battle at the end of May, which ended with the destruction of the Russian Baltic squadron.

Despite the fact that the course of events in this war was developing in the best possible way in Japan's favor, she was forced to agree to peace negotiations. This was due to the fact that the country's economy was very depleted by military events. On August 9, a peace conference between the participants in the war began in Portsmouth.

Reasons for Russia's defeat in the war

Despite the fact that the conclusion of the peace treaty determined to some extent the position in which the Kuril Islands were, the dispute between Russia and Japan did not end. This caused a significant number of protests in Tokyo, but the consequences of the war were very tangible for the country.

In the course of this conflict, the practical complete destruction of the Russian Pacific Fleet took place, more than 100 thousand of its soldiers were killed. The expansion of the Russian state to the East also stopped. The results of the war were indisputable evidence of how weak the tsarist policy was.

This was one of the main reasons for revolutionary action in 1905-1907.

The most important reasons for the defeat of Russia in the war of 1904-1905.

1. Diplomatic isolation Russian Empire.
2. The absolute unpreparedness of the country's troops to conduct military operations in difficult situations.
3. Shameless betrayal of domestic stakeholders and the mediocrity of the majority of Russian generals.
4. A high level of development and preparedness of the military and economic sphere Japan.

Until our time, the unresolved issue of the Kuril issue poses a great danger. After the Second World War, a peace treaty was never signed following its results. From this dispute, the Russian people, like the population of the Kuril Islands, have absolutely no benefit. Moreover, this state of affairs contributes to the generation of hostility between countries. It is the speedy solution of such a diplomatic issue as the problem of the Kuril Islands that is the guarantee of good neighborly relations between Russia and Japan.

To the origins of the problem

One of the first documents regulating Russian-Japanese relations was the Shimoda Treaty, signed on January 26, 1855. According to the second article of the treatise, the border was established between the islands of Urup and Iturup - that is, all four islands, which Japan claims today, were recognized as the possession of Japan.

Since 1981, the day of the conclusion of the Shimoda Treaty in Japan has been celebrated as the "Day of the Northern Territories." Another thing is that, relying on the Shimoda treatise as one of the fundamental documents, one important point is forgotten in Japan. In 1904, Japan, attacking the Russian squadron in Port Arthur and unleashing the Russo-Japanese War, itself violated the terms of the treaty, which provided for friendship and good-neighborly relations between states.

The Shimoda treatise did not define the belonging of Sakhalin, where both Russian and Japanese settlements were located, and by the mid-70s a solution to this issue was ripe. The St. Petersburg Treaty was signed, which was ambiguously assessed by both parties. Under the terms of the treaty, all the Kuril Islands were now completely withdrawn to Japan, and Russia received full control over Sakhalin.

Then, following the results Russo-Japanese War According to the Portsmouth Treaty, the southern part of Sakhalin up to the 50th parallel went to Japan.

In 1925, the Soviet-Japanese convention was signed in Beijing, which generally confirmed the terms of the Portsmouth Treaty. As you know, the late 30s - early 40s were extremely tense in Soviet-Japanese relations and were associated with a series of military conflicts of different scale.

The situation began to change by 1945, when the Axis countries began to suffer heavy defeats and the prospect of losing World War II became more and more obvious. Against this background, the question arose about the post-war structure of the world. So, according to the terms of the Yalta Conference, the USSR pledged to enter the war against Japan, and South Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands retreated to the Soviet Union.

True, at the same time the Japanese leadership was ready to voluntarily cede these territories in exchange for the neutrality of the USSR and the supply of Soviet oil. The USSR did not take such a very slippery step. The defeat of Japan by that time was not a matter of a quick, but still a matter of time. And most importantly, moving away from decisive actions, Soviet Union in fact, he would have given the situation in the Far East into the hands of the United States and its allies.

By the way, this also applies to the events of the Soviet-Japanese war and the Kuril landing operation itself, which was not initially prepared. When it became known about the preparation of the landing of American troops on the Kuril Islands, the Kuril landing operation was urgently prepared within 24 hours. Fierce fighting in August 1945 ended with the surrender of the Japanese garrisons in the Kuril Islands.

Fortunately, the Japanese command did not know the real number of Soviet paratroopers and, without fully using their overwhelming numerical superiority, capitulated. At the same time, the Yuzhno-Sakhalinskaya offensive... So, at the cost of considerable losses, South Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands became part of the USSR.

TASS-DOSSIER. On December 15, 2016, the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Japan begins. It is assumed that one of the topics during his talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will be the question of the ownership of the Kuril Islands.

Currently, Japan is putting forward territorial claims on the Russian islands of Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and a group of small islands of the Lesser Kuril ridge (the Japanese name is Habomai).

The editorial staff of TASS-DOSSIER prepared material about the history of this problem and attempts to solve it.

Background

The Kuril Archipelago is a chain of islands between Kamchatka and the Japanese island of Hokkaido. It is formed by two ridges. The largest of the islands of the Great Kuril ridge are Iturup, Paramushir, Kunashir. The largest island of the Small Kuril Ridge is Shikotan.

The islands were originally inhabited by the Ainu tribes. The first information about the Kuril Islands was received by the Japanese during the expedition of 1635-1637. In 1643 they were examined by the Dutch (led by Martin de Vries). The first Russian expedition (led by V.V. Atlasov) reached the northern part of the Kuriles in 1697. In 1786, by the decree of Catherine II, the Kuril archipelago was included in the Russian Empire.

On February 7, 1855, Japan and Russia signed the Shimoda Treaty, according to which Iturup, Kunashir and the islands of the Lesser Kuril ridge were transferred to Japan, and the rest of the Kuriles were recognized as Russian. Sakhalin was declared a joint possession - an "undivided" territory. However, some unresolved questions about the status of Sakhalin led to conflicts between Russian and Japanese merchants and sailors. The contradictions between the parties were resolved in 1875 with the signing of the St. Petersburg agreement on the exchange of territories. In accordance with it, Russia transferred all the Kuril Islands to Japan, and Japan renounced its claims to Sakhalin.

On September 5, 1905, as a result of the Russo-Japanese War, the Portsmouth Peace Treaty was signed, according to which a part of Sakhalin south of the 50th parallel passed into the possession of Japan.

Return of the islands

At the final stage of World War II, during the Yalta Conference in February 1945, the USSR named the return of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands among the conditions for the start of hostilities against Japan. This decision was enshrined in the Yalta Agreement between the USSR, the USA and Great Britain of February 11, 1945 ("The Crimean Agreement of the Three Great Powers on the Issues of the Far East"). On August 9, 1945, the USSR entered the war against Japan. From August 18 to September 1, 1945 Soviet troops carried out the Kuril landing operation, which led to the surrender of the Japanese garrisons in the archipelago.

On September 2, 1945, Japan signed the Act of Unconditional Surrender, accepting the terms of the Potsdam Declaration. According to the document, Japanese sovereignty was limited to the islands of Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku and Hokkaido, as well as the smaller islands of the Japanese archipelago.

On January 29, 1946, the commander-in-chief of the allied forces in Japan, American General Douglas MacArthur, notified the Japanese government of the exclusion of the Kuril Islands from the country's territory. On February 2, 1946, by a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the Kuril Islands were included in the USSR.

According to the 1951 San Francisco Peace Treaty, concluded between the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition and Japan, Tokyo renounced all rights, legal grounds and claims to the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin. However, the Soviet delegation did not sign this document, since it did not stipulate the issue of the withdrawal of the occupation forces from the territory of Japan. In addition, the agreement did not specify which islands of the Kuril archipelago were discussed and in whose favor Japan was refusing them.

This became the main reason for the existing territorial problem, which is still the main obstacle to the conclusion of a peace treaty between Russia and Japan.

The essence of the disagreement

The principled position of the USSR and Russia was and is that "the ownership of the southern Kuril Islands (Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and Habomai) Russian Federation is based on the generally recognized results of the Second World War and the unshakable post-war international legal framework, including the UN Charter. Thus, Russian sovereignty over them has an appropriate international legal form and is not subject to doubt "(statement of the RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs of February 7, 2015).

Japan, referring to the Shimoda Treaty of 1855, claims that Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and a number of small islands never belonged to the Russian Empire and considers their inclusion in the USSR illegal. In addition, according to the Japanese side, these islands are not part of the Kuril archipelago and therefore they do not fall under the term "Kuril Islands", which was used in the San Francisco Treaty of 1951. Currently, in Japanese political terminology, the disputed islands are usually called " northern territories ".

1956 Declaration

In 1956, the USSR and Japan signed a Joint Declaration, which formally proclaimed the end of the war and restored bilateral diplomatic relations. In it, the USSR agreed to transfer the island of Shikotan and the uninhabited islands to Japan (leaving Iturup and Kunashir behind) after the conclusion of a full-fledged peace treaty. The declaration was ratified by the parliaments of the two states.

However, in 1960, the Japanese government agreed to sign a security treaty with the United States, which provided for the preservation of the American military presence in Japanese territory. In response, the USSR canceled the obligations undertaken in 1956. At the same time, the Soviet Union agreed on the transfer of the islands by the fulfillment of two conditions by Japan - the signing of a peace treaty and the withdrawal foreign troops from the territory of the country.

Until the early 1990s. The Soviet side did not mention the 1956 declaration, although Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka tried to return to its discussion during a visit to Moscow in 1973 (the first Soviet-Japanese summit meeting).

Intensification of dialogue in the 1990s.

The situation began to change with the beginning of perestroika in the 1980s, the USSR acknowledged the existence of a territorial problem. Following the visit of Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev to Japan in April 1991, a provision was included in the joint communiqué on the parties' intention to continue negotiations on the normalization of relations and on a peaceful settlement, including territorial issues.

The existence of a territorial problem was also confirmed in the Tokyo Declaration, signed following negotiations between Russian President Boris Yeltsin and Japanese Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa in October 1993. The document recorded the parties' desire to resolve the issue of the territorial belonging of the disputed islands.

In the Moscow Declaration (November 1998), President Yeltsin and Premier Keizo Obuchi "reaffirmed their determination to make every effort to conclude a peace treaty by 2000." Then the Russian side for the first time expressed the opinion that it is necessary to create conditions and a favorable atmosphere for "joint economic and other activities" in the South Kuriles without prejudice to the legal positions of both sides.

Modern stage

In 2008, Japanese politicians began to introduce the term "illegally occupied northern territories" on the islands of Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and Habomai. In June 2009, the Japanese parliament passed amendments to the Law on special measures to promote the solution of the "problem of the northern territories", according to which the Japanese government bodies are ordered to make maximum efforts for the early return of the "ancestral lands of Japan."

Visits to the islands by top Russian officials generate a negative reaction in Tokyo (Dmitry Medvedev visited the islands in 2010 as president, in 2012 and 2015 as prime minister; the first two times he was in Kunashir, the last one in Iturup). Japanese leaders periodically make "inspection of the northern territories" from an airplane or boat (the first such inspection was carried out by Prime Minister Zenko Suzuki in 1981).

The territorial issue is regularly discussed at the Russian-Japanese talks. It was especially often raised by the administration of Shinzo Abe, who again took over as prime minister in 2012. However, it has not yet been possible to finally bring the positions closer together.

In March 2012, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said that on the territorial issue it is necessary "to achieve an acceptable compromise or something like 'hikivake' (" draw ", a term from judo). In May 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Prime Minister - Japanese Minister Shinzo Abe agreed on the need to develop the dialogue in a "constructive manner, without emotional outbursts, public polemics" and agreed on a "new approach" to solving bilateral problems, but the details of the agreements were not reported.

Relations between Russia and Japan have intensified to the extent that they have not yet been in the entire 60 years since the restoration of diplomatic ties between the countries. The leaders of both countries meet constantly to discuss something. What exactly?

It is publicly stated that the subject of discussion is joint economic projects, but a number of experts believe differently: the real reason for the meetings is the territorial dispute over the Kuril Islands, the solution of which is occupied by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. And then the Nikkei newspaper published information that Moscow and Tokyo seem to be planning to introduce joint management of the northern territories. So what are the Kuril Islands preparing to transfer to Japan?

Warming in relations became especially noticeable six months ago, during Shinzo Abe's May visit to Sochi. Then the Japanese prime minister called the Russian president to "you", explaining that in Japan, they only refer to a friend. Another sign of friendship was Tokyo's refusal to join economic sanctions against Russia.

Abe proposed to Putin an eight-point economic cooperation plan in various areas - industry, energy, the gas sector, trade partnership. In addition, Japan is ready to invest in Russian healthcare and transport infrastructure. In general, a dream, not a plan! And what is in return? Yes, the painful topic of the Kuril Islands was also touched upon. The parties agreed that the resolution of the territorial dispute is an important step towards the signing of a peace treaty between the countries. That is, there were no hints about the transfer of the islands. Nevertheless, the first stone in the development of a sensitive topic was laid.

The danger of angering the dragon

Since then, the leaders of Russia and Japan have met on the sidelines of international summits.

In September, during the Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Abe again promised economic cooperation, but this time he directly addressed Putin with an appeal to jointly solve the problem of the northern territories, which has darkened Russian-Japanese relations for several decades.

Meanwhile, the Nikkei newspaper reported that Tokyo expects to establish joint control over the islands of Kunashir and Iturup, hoping to get Habomai and Shikotan in full in the future. The publication writes that Shinzo Abe should discuss this issue with Vladimir Putin during their meeting scheduled for December 15.

The "Nihon Kezai" wrote about the same: the Japanese government is discussing a project of joint management with Russia as a measure that will help move the territorial problem from a dead center. The publication even reports: there is information that Moscow has begun the process of setting goals.

And then the results of the poll arrived. It turns out that already more than half of the Japanese "are ready to show flexibility in resolving the issue of the Kuril Islands." That is, they agree that Russia should transfer not four disputed islands, but only two - Shikotan and Habomai.

Now the Japanese press writes about the transfer of the islands as an almost settled issue. It is unlikely that information on such an important topic is sucked out of the thumb. The main question remains: is Moscow really ready to give up territories in exchange for economic cooperation with Japan and its assistance in the fight against sanctions?

Obviously, for all the blissfulness of Putin's communication with Abe, it is hard to believe that the President of the Russian Federation, after the annexation of Crimea, who gained fame as a "collector of Russian lands", would agree to a mild and gradual loss of territories. Moreover, the 2018 presidential elections are just around the corner. But what will happen after them?

The Russian Public Opinion Research Center last conducted a survey on the transfer of the Kuril Islands in 2010. Then the overwhelming majority of Russians - 79% - were in favor of leaving the islands for Russia and stop discussing this issue. It is unlikely that public sentiment has changed much over the past six years. If Putin really wants to go down in history, he is unlikely to be pleased to be associated with unpopular politicians who have already attempted to transfer the islands.

However, the land was transferred to China, and nothing - the public remained silent.

On the other hand, the Kuril Islands are a symbol, which is why they are well known. But if you want, you can find an explanation for anything. Moreover, there are arguments for mass consumption. So, the Tokyo correspondent of TASS Vasily Golovnin writes: as compensation for the transfer of the Southern Kuriles, Japan promises to establish the post office and hospitals in Russia, at its own expense equipping clinics with equipment for early diagnosis of diseases. In addition, the Japanese intend to offer their developments in the field of clean energy, housing construction, and year-round growing of vegetables. So there will be something to justify the transfer of a pair of islands.

Moscow's friendship with Tokyo alarms Beijing

However, there is another side to this issue. The fact is that Japan has territorial claims not only against Russia, but also against China and South Korea. In particular, there is a long-standing dispute between Tokyo and Beijing over the status of an uninhabited piece of land called Okinotori. According to the Japanese version, this is an island, but China considers it to be rocks, which means that it does not recognize Tokyo's international right to establish a 200-mile exclusive economic zone around it. Another territorial dispute is the Senkaku Archipelago in the East China Sea, 170 kilometers northeast of Taiwan. WITH South Korea Japan disputes over the ownership of the Liancourt Islands, located in the western part of the Sea of ​​Japan.

Therefore, if Russia satisfies Japan's territorial claims, a precedent will arise. And then Tokyo will begin to seek similar actions from its other neighbors. It is logical to assume that these neighbors will regard the transfer of the Kuril Islands as a "setup". Should we quarrel with China, our main strategic partner in Asia? Especially now, when the construction of the second branch of the Russian gas pipeline to China has begun, when the Chinese are investing in our gas companies. Of course, diversification of politics in Asia is a useful thing, but it requires great caution from the Kremlin.

How the Kurils tried to return to Japan

Nikita Khrushchev, when he was the first secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, offered to return to Japan the two islands lying closest to its borders. The Japanese side ratified the treaty, but Moscow changed its mind because of the increased US military presence in Japan.

The next attempt was made by the first president of Russia, Boris Yeltsin. The then Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev was already preparing documents for the visit of the head of state to Japan, during which it was supposed to formalize the transfer of the islands. What prevented Yeltsin's plans? There are different versions on this score. Major General of the FSO in reserve Boris Ratnikov, who from 1991 to 1994 worked as the first deputy head of the Main Directorate of Security of the Russian Federation, said in an interview how his department upset Yeltsin's visit to Japan, allegedly for security reasons. According to another version, Anatoly Chubais dissuaded Yeltsin, actually embodying a scene from the film "Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession", where the thief Miloslavsky throws himself at the feet of the liar with the words: "They did not order to execute, they told the word."