These are 'Pitfalls' of Russia-Japan Joint Activities on South Kuril Islands

February 7, 2017 marked the 162nd anniversary of the Treaty of Shimoda which established diplomatic ties between Russia and Japan. On February 7, Japan observes Northern Territories Day, drawing additional attention to a territorial problem between Moscow and Tokyo.

Japan has territorial claims for the Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and Habomai islands in the South Kurils.

The dispute has remained unresolved since the end of World War II.  Japan and Russia have never signed a permanent peace treaty after World War II due to a disagreement over four islands, which Russia calls the Southern Kurils and Japan the Northern Territories. The disputed islands, located in the Sea of Okhotsk, were claimed by Soviet forces at the end of the war.

The ice broke after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Japan in December. The visit resulted in 68 economic and investments deals, with a total worth of $2.5 billion. The sides also agreed to start consultations on joint economic activities on the four islands.

For Russia, economic advantages from Japanese investment activities on the South Kurils are apparent. In early-December, a group of five Russian scholars and activists sent a letter to President Putin, warning of the danger which could emerge if the "islands were leased to Japan without mutual obligations to control the rules of cooperation."

In an interview with Sputnik Japanese, one of the authors of the letter, Kirill Cherevko, an expert in Russia-Japanese ties at the Russian Academy of Sciences, described the idea of joint economic activities as breakthrough, but also said there are certain "pitfalls."

The expert took note of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s comment about "co-residence" of Russian and Japanese nationals on the South Kuril Islands.

"I read a transcript of talks between Putin and Abe. The Japanese premier hinted that a certain progress had already been made on the matter. As for me, the co-residence issue is the most difficult. It’s unclear how Japanese could stay on the islands, on tourist visas or as residents. For Russia, the most important thing is to preserve sovereignty over the territories and to develop cooperation," Cherevko said.

According to the expert, the presence of a Japanese ethnic group could pose a "danger for Russia’s sovereignty."

At the same time, he underscored that mutual economic cooperation is crucial to develop the South Kuril Islands.

"Russia needs to develop those territories, but we don’t have money and human resources. If everything is done according to the agreements such cooperation will be mutually advantageous," Cherevko said.

The expert explained that he and his colleagues sent a letter to Putin, asking to take measures to protect Russia’s territorial integrity.

"The South Kuril Islands were handed over to the Soviet Union in full accordance with international legal norms. The obligations of each side were agreed in advance and should not be breached," he concluded.

 

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