A representative of the Japanese Embassy was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry to protest in connection with the exhibition about the South Kuril Islands, organized by the Japanese side. This was announced on December 24 by the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova.
“On December 17, a representative of the leadership of the Japanese Embassy in Moscow was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry. During the conversation, the Japanese side expressed a strong protest over the opening in early December in Tokyo of an exhibition dedicated to the southern Kuril Islands in the context of illegal territorial claims on them by Japan, ”reads a statement posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website.
According to Zakharova, despite the official warning of the Russian Foreign Ministry about a similar event in 2020, the Japanese organizers again took this provocative step, ignoring international treaties that secure the sovereignty of the Russian Federation over the islands.
Among other things, the Japanese diplomat expressed concern over the Japanese-American naval exercises that began on December 6 in the area of the island of Hokkaido.
“It was emphasized that their conduct in the immediate vicinity of the border of the Russian Federation, the scale and range of operations being practiced force us to consider these maneuvers as a serious challenge and potential threat to the security of our country in the Far East,” Zakharova said.
On November 12, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi recalled Japan’s intention to resolve the issue of the ownership of the four Kuril Islands, as well as conclude a peace treaty with Russia. On November 10, the newly elected Prime Minister of the country, Fumio Kishida, announced a firm policy towards Russia and China. At the same time, he promised to “strengthen relations with partners who share the point of view of Japan.”
The last time a Japanese exhibition about the Kuril Islands called “Territory and Sovereignty” took place on January 21, 2020. Then the Russian Foreign Ministry said that its visitors “are shown propaganda materials, allegedly proving the validity of Japan’s territorial claims to the South Kuriles.”
As a result of World War II, Russia and Japan never signed a peace treaty. The main obstacle in reaching an agreement is Tokyo’s claims to the South Kuril Islands. Japan still calls the islands of Kunashir, Iturup and a number of territories of the Lesser Kuril Ridge their northern territories, although as a result of World War II they crossed the USSR.
Source: IZ
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
