Kuril Island Dispute

As the invasion of Ukraine drags on, Russia is forced to funnel more and more of its military and economic resources to its western border.
The war could give Japan a chance to take control of what the Japanese call the Northern Territories.
The strategically located islands are known as the Kuril Islands in Russia.

History of Kuril Islands Dispute

The Kuril island chain was annexed by the soviet union during the Kuril island landing operation at the end of World War II. The Kuril Islands dispute between Japan and Russia is over the sovereignty of the South Kuril Islands.

The islands in dispute are:

Iturup or Etorofu Island
Kunashir or Kunashiri Island
Shikotan Island
Habomai Island

These islands are known as Southern Kurils by Russia whereas Japan calls them the Northern Territories. The Kurils were originally inhabited by the Ainu people. Later after several explorations in the 17^th and 18^th centuries, they were later settled by the Russians and Japanese.

The Ainu are the indigenous people of the lands surrounding the Sea of Okhotsk, including Hokkaido Island, Northeast Honshu Island, Sakhalin Island, the Kuril Islands, and the Kamchatka Peninsula and Khabarovsk Krai, before the arrival of the Yamato Japanese and Russians.
The Ainu or the Aynu, also known as the Ezo in the historical Japanese texts.
After the annexation of the Hokkaido islands by Japan, the Ainu have all but nearly assimilated into Japanese culture.

What lies behind the dispute?

According to Tokyo, Japan’s sovereignty over the islands is confirmed by several treaties like the Shimoda Treaty of 1855, the 1875 Treaty for the exchange of Sakhalin for the Kuril Islands (Treaty of St. Petersburg), and the Portsmouth Treaty of 1905 signed after the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-05 which Japan had won.
Russia, on the other hand, claims the Yalta Agreement (1945) and the Potsdam Declaration (1945) as proof of its sovereignty and argues that the San Francisco Treaty of 1951 is legal evidence that Japan had acknowledged Russian sovereignty over the islands. Under Article 2 of the treaty, Japan had “renounced all right, title and claim to the Kuril Islands.”

Disputed Islands

The islands in dispute are:

Iturup -Etorofu Island (Japan)
Kunashir –Kunashiri Island (Japan)
Shikotan –Shikotan Island (Japan)
Habomai Islands –Habomai Island (Japan)

Importance of Kuril Islands

The major reason is resources.

Abundant Natural Resources:

The islands are surrounded by bountiful fishing grounds, and there are believed to be offshore reserves of oil and gas.
Notably, rare rhenium deposits have been discovered on the Kudriavy volcano on Iturup.
Rhenium, a crucial component, is used in nickel-based superalloys for jet engines, found in combustion chambers, turbine blades, and exhaust nozzles.

Tourism Potential:

The islands offer substantial tourism potential, featuring numerous volcanoes and diverse birdlife that can be harnessed for adventurous activities.

Strategic Significance:

In 2020, Russia deployed missile systems in the region and has plans for a submarine project, with the aim of preventing any American military use of the islands.

Cultural Significance:

The Japanese population, particularly conservatives in Hokkaido, holds a deep emotional attachment to these islands.

What is the current issue and what lies ahead?

Japan stresses that the Kuril Islands must be demilitarised if any serious proposals are to come to fruition.
Soon after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Japan made a statement that Russia had occupied the southern part of the Kuril Islands, thereby violating international law.
Japan has been among the most loyal of Western allies in denouncing Russian aggression and punishing it with sanctions.
Japan’s Diplomatic Bluebook for 2022 describing the Kuril Islands as being under Russia’s “illegal occupation” will further damage relations between the two countries.
Japan might have felt that this is a good opportunity to further isolate Russia and paint it as a “habitual offender” of international law.
Japan has also said that a constructive relationship with China is best for both parties purposefully not mentioning directly to the Senkaku Islands dispute.
Japan’s policy shift on the Kuril Islands might affect the bilateral relations with Russia while advancing the possibility of its two neighbours, China and Russia, coming together against it.

Way Ahead

The dispute over the South Kuril Islands continues to plague Russia-Japan relations.
A new strategic approach to the issue will finally settle the border between the two Pacific neighbors and help Moscow and Tokyo enhance their standing in the changing Asia-Pacific region.
Solving the dispute is in the interest of both countries:- Russia will gain a valuable partner to build up its underdeveloped eastern provinces and Japan will gain a new ally that will improve its security in Asia.

Read also:- Cauvery Water Sharing Dispute

Read more: kuril island dispute, kuril island, russia, world war ii, portsmouth treaty, san francisco treaty, sea of okhotsk, island