POLL: Should Russia give Kuril islands (Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, Habomai) back to Japan?

[Yongpeng Sun-Tastaufen]

I think so because Kurils are not only historically Japanese land but also historically Asian land. In 1855 when Japan first make contact with Russia, they signed treaty of Shimoda which says Urup and everything to the north of that is Russian while Iturup and everything to the south of that is Japanese. Also, with Japan's aging and declining population because of modern electronics killing off sperm and eggs, Japan cannot utilize Kurils anyway and the place will become depopulated and deserted in the next few decades.

Treaty of Shimoda - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Japan's 'anti-Russian course' makes treaty talks impossible - TASS

Japan's "anti-Russian course" makes peace treaty talks impossible, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said in comments published by the state TASS news agency on Tuesday.

www.reuters.com

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[Shorisrip]

Russia won't give them back as they control the warm water passage out of the Sea of Okhotsk but of course they right fully belong to Japan. Even Karafuto (Sakhalin) and the rest of Chishima (Kurils) were stolen, albeit 'legally' through treaty after deporting 400-500K people which also included Ainu aboriginals. Same thing with eastern parts of Germany (Brandenburg, Prussia, Lower Silesia, Pomerania etc) though Germany yielded to Soviet and later Polish pressure regarding those.

 

[Yongpeng Sun-Tastaufen]

Russia won't give them back as they control the warm water passage out of the Sea of Okhotsk but of course they right fully belong to Japan. Even Karafuto (Sakhalin) and the rest of Chishima (Kurils) were stolen, albeit 'legally' through treaty after deporting 400-500K people which also included Ainu aboriginals. Same thing with eastern parts of Germany (Brandenburg, Prussia, Lower Silesia, Pomerania etc) though Germany yielded to Soviet and later Polish pressure regarding those.

There is international water between Urup and Iturup. There is a huge gap between Urup and Iturup. When Russia and Japan negotiated in treaty of Shimoda, they set the border between Urup and Iturup. Even if Japan has Iturup, they cannot stop Russian ships between Urup and Iturup. So your argument is invalid.

 

[epebble]

I am not in favor of changing boundaries unless both sides do it with a smile for mutual benefit. Let bygones be bygones.

 

[Shorisrip]

There is international water between Urup and Iturup. There is a huge gap between Urup and Iturup. When Russia and Japan negotiated in treaty of Shimoda, they set the border between Urup and Iturup. Even if Japan has Iturup, they cannot stop Russian ships between Urup and Iturup. So your argument is invalid.

True, but they won't let it come to that in the first place. The Jietai Navy is bigger than the whole Russian Navy, let alone the Pacific Fleet so they won't concede land unnecessarily to a major US-ally. Other factors such as energy and fishing rights in the region need to also be taken to account (Sakhalin Oblast is the richest Russian province for the exact reason). Anyways, even if the Japanese government increases diplomatic pressure (unlikely), they won't do much else. Most Japanese people outside of few right-wingers are apolitical and don't care much for these lands.

 

[TheSolution]

Should give them to China as form of reparations for what the Japanese did and from there a positive relationship can be formed with an East Asian bloc that has potential to dominate the world

 

[Yongpeng Sun-Tastaufen]

Should give them to China as form of reparations for what the Japanese did and from there a positive relationship can be formed with an East Asian bloc that has potential to dominate the world

You are suggesting Russia give sell Kurils to China the way Russia sold Alaska to the US? This does seem like a good solution. Japan would think twice before messing with China which has a powerful navy.