PM calls trips to southern Kuril Islands 'Tokyo’s priority' in relations with Russia

Russia-Japan dispute over Kuril IslandsPM calls trips to southern Kuril Islands 'Tokyo’s priority' in relations with Russia Japan's Sanae Takaichi said this is a humanitarian issueTOKYO, July 30. /TASS/. The issue of resuming trips by Japanese citizens to the Southern Kuril Islands to visit the graves of their ancestors is a priority for the Japanese government in its relations with Russia, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated. "This is a humanitarian issue, and it is one of the top priorities in Japan-Russia relations. We will continue to strongly urge Russia to resume these visits," the Kyodo news agency quoted her as saying during a meeting with the children of former Japanese residents of the islands. Moscow and Tokyo have been in negotiations on a peace treaty based on the outcome of World War II since the mid-20th century. The main obstacle to such an accord remains the disagreement over rights to the southern part of the Kuril Islands. After the war, the entire archipelago was incorporated into the Soviet Union, but Japan disputes the ownership of the islands of Iturup, Kunashir and Shikotan, as well as several small uninhabited islands. The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly stressed that Russia’s sovereignty over these islands is based on a firm legal foundation and is indisputable. After Tokyo imposed anti-Russian sanctions over the situation in Ukraine, Russia halted consultations with Japan on a peace treaty. Moscow also withdrew from negotiations with Tokyo on the establishment of joint economic activities in the southern Kuril Islands and blocked the extension of Japan's status as a sectoral dialogue partner of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC). According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Moscow does not prevent Japanese citizens from visiting the graves of their ancestors in the Kuril Islands. The only obstacle is Tokyo’s position, as it has "forfeited the right to the previously existing simplified models of cooperation in the Southern Kuril Islands." 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