History of the Kuril Islands. The Kuril Islands in the history of Russian-Japanese relations. The dispute between Russia and Japan over the islands is unlikely to be brought out of the impasse

To the root of the problem

One of the first documents regulating Russian-Japanese relations was the Shimoda Treaty, signed on January 26, 1855. According to the second article of the treatise, the border was established between the islands of Urup and Iturup - that is, all four islands now claimed by Japan today were recognized as the possession of Japan.

Since 1981, the date of the signing of the Shimoda Treaty has been celebrated in Japan as "Northern Territories Day". Another thing is that, relying on the Shimoda treatise as one of the fundamental documents, in Japan they forget about one important point. In 1904, Japan, having attacked the Russian squadron in Port Arthur and unleashed the Russo-Japanese War, itself violated the terms of the treaty, which provided for friendship and good neighborly relations between states.

The Shimoda treaty did not determine the ownership of Sakhalin, where both Russian and Japanese settlements were located, and by the mid-70s a solution to this issue was also ripe. The St. Petersburg Treaty was signed, which was ambiguously assessed by both parties. Under the terms of the treaty, Japan now completely departed all Kurile Islands, and Russia received full control over Sakhalin.

Then, following the results of the Russo-Japanese War, according to the Treaty of Portsmouth, Japan ceded South part Sakhalin to the 50th parallel.

In 1925, the Soviet-Japanese Convention was signed in Beijing, generally confirming the terms of the Portsmouth Treaty. As is known, the late 1930s and early 1940s were extremely tense in Soviet-Japanese relations and were associated with a series of military conflicts of various scales.

The situation began to change by 1945, when the Axis began to suffer heavy defeats and the prospect of losing the Second World War became more and more obvious. Against this background, the question arose about the post-war structure of the world. So, according to the terms of the Yalta Conference, the USSR was obliged to enter the war against Japan, and South Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands went to the Soviet Union.

True, at the same time, the Japanese leadership was ready to voluntarily cede these territories in exchange for the neutrality of the USSR and the supply of Soviet oil. The USSR did not take such a very slippery step. The defeat of Japan by that time was a matter of maybe not a quick, but still time. And most importantly, refraining from decisive action, the Soviet Union would actually give the situation to Far East into the hands of the United States and its allies.

By the way, this also applies to the events of the Soviet-Japanese War and the Kuril landing operation itself, which was not originally prepared. When it became known about the preparations for the landing of American troops on the Kuriles, the Kuril landing operation was urgently prepared in a day. Fierce fighting in August 1945 ended with the surrender of the Japanese garrisons in the Kuriles.

Fortunately, the Japanese command did not know the real number of Soviet paratroopers and, without fully using their overwhelming numerical superiority, capitulated. At the same time, the South Sakhalin offensive operation was also carried out. So, at the cost of considerable losses, South Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands became part of the USSR.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced his desire to "create new story» relations with Russia. We have got new friend? Hardly. The history of Japan's territorial claims against the Russian Federation is well known to everyone. But right now, the sanctions and the confrontation between Russia and the West give Tokyo a non-illusory chance to return the Kuriles.

Now the Japanese are looking forward to the visit of Vladimir Putin, hoping that he will bring the signing of the peace treaty closer. This puts the Russian leader in a difficult situation: the country needs allies, but such a deal could once and for all destroy his image as a collector of Russian lands. Therefore, it is quite obvious: it is impossible to return the islands before the presidential elections. And then?

What exactly Vladimir Putin and Shinzo Abe spoke about during an informal meeting in Sochi on May 6 is not known for certain. However, before the visit, the Japanese prime minister made no secret of his intention to discuss the territorial issue. And now a return visit of the President of the Russian Federation is planned soon.

In early April, the Japanese Foreign Ministry developed the so-called " blue book» on diplomacy for 2016. It says that strengthening relations with Russia is in the national interest and contributes to the establishment of peace and prosperity in the Asian region. Thus, Japan officially proclaimed a course towards rapprochement with Russia.

This has already caused concern in the US. Not without reason, back in February, during a telephone conversation, Barack Obama advised Prime Minister Abe to reconsider the dates of his visit to Russia and expressed concern about the softening of Japan's position towards Moscow, while Western countries imposed anti-Russian sanctions "in an attempt to restore international order."

Attraction unprecedented generosity

Why did Tokyo suddenly decide to extend the hand of friendship to Moscow? Fyodor Lukyanov, editor of Russia in Global Affairs magazine, believes that “the Chinese factor dominates relations between Japan and Russia; both countries are trying to balance the rise of China as the most important power in the region, and this is leading to a thaw.” By the way, the Asahi Shimbun newspaper recently wrote about this: “It is important for the heads of Russia and Japan to meet more often and move towards trusting relations also in order to stabilize the situation in Northeast Asia, a region where China is gaining influence and challenges continue. from the DPRK, which conducts missile and nuclear tests.

An important milestone in cooperation can be called the construction by Japan on Pacific coast Russian terminal for receiving liquefied natural gas. The enterprise with a capacity of 15 million tons, according to the plans of Gazprom, will be launched in 2018.

Everything would be fine, but the relations between the two countries are overshadowed by an unresolved territorial dispute. After the end of World War II, the USSR annexed four islands of the Kuril chain - Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and Khabomai. In addition to fish, the islands are valuable minerals found in their bowels: gold and silver, polymetallic ores containing zinc, copper, vanadium, etc. It is not surprising that the Japanese consider them theirs and demand their return.

Back in December, the Japanese Prime Minister lamented: “70 years have passed since the end of the war, but, unfortunately, the northern territories have not been returned, the problem has not been resolved. We would like to continue persistent negotiations on the return northern territories for the conclusion of a peace treaty. We will deal with this issue with all the forces of the government so that the innermost dream of the former inhabitants of the islands comes true.

Moscow's position is as follows: the islands became part of the USSR following World War II, and Russian sovereignty is beyond doubt. But is this position so irreconcilable?

In 2012, Vladimir Putin made an encouraging statement for the Japanese: the dispute must be resolved on the basis of a compromise. “Something like a hikiwake. “Hikiwake” is a term from judo when neither side managed to win,” the president said. What does it mean? Japan can return two of the four islands?

Such fears are justified. Suffice it to recall how in 2010, during the presidency of Dmitry Medvedev, Russia signed an agreement with Norway on the delimitation of maritime spaces in the Barents Sea and the North Arctic Ocean. As a result, the country has lost 90 thousand square kilometers in the Arctic. In the depths of this territory, according to the estimates of the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD), there are hydrocarbon deposits with a volume of at least 300 million cubic meters - almost 1.9 billion barrels of oil. Then the Norwegians rejoiced, and other countries, including Japan, immediately remembered their territorial claims against Russia. Is there any guarantee that this attraction of unprecedented generosity will not continue?

Wait for the next leader

One way or another, but now the Japanese media are full of optimism. “Prime Minister Abe seeks to resolve the problem of the “northern territories” while he is in power. For him, this is a chance to become the political leader of Japan, who will be able to move the problem that has existed for 70 years from the dead point, ”writes the Asahi Shimbun.

Abe, by the way, has his own interests in this: parliamentary elections will be held in the country this year, and he needs to strengthen his position. Meanwhile, Toyo Keizai publishes an interview with retired diplomat Yoshiki Mine, who claims: “Russia has already declared its readiness to return Habomai and Shikotan. At the same time, she put forward certain conditions on which we can agree. Russia's goals are very clear. The problem is what to do with the islands.” Mr. Mine believes that Japan should not waste time on trifles, but demand from Russia all the territories that once belonged to Japan, including Sakhalin. But not now, but after the change of leader in Russia. "I think it's better to wait for a politically strong leader who will be determined to solve this problem," says the Japanese diplomat. But the Russian political experience tells a different story: it is the weak leaders who hand out land right and left, and the strong never.

Meanwhile, in Moscow, so far, no signs have been given that could indicate the transition of the islands under the Japanese flag. Recently it became known that the government of the Russian Federation intends to invest 5.5 billion rubles in new territory advanced development of the Kuriles. The program involves the development of fishery and mining complexes. In the period from 2016 to 2018, enterprises in the field of aquaculture, a plant for the processing of aquatic biological resources and a mining complex will be located in the Kuril Islands. All this, of course, inspires confidence that the Russian leadership is not going to give the islands to Japan. Unless he develops the territory specifically for return, in order to get more bonuses for it.

Of course, for Putin's electoral potential, the distribution of Russian territories would be extremely harmful. And the presidential elections in Russia will be held in 2018. By the way, in the matter of relations with Japan, this date pops up with enviable regularity.

The following moment is also curious: in Japan, a scenario similar to the Crimean one is being considered for the annexation of the islands. Back in 2014, former Defense Minister Yuriko Koike said that a referendum on joining Japan should be held among the population of the Kuril Islands. And recently, the head of the Japanese Daichi New Party, Muneo Suzuki, suggested that the government lift sanctions on Russia in exchange for the islands. Lure, trade. Oh well...

Relations between Russia and Japan have intensified to such an extent that they have not been in all 60 years since the restoration of diplomatic ties between the countries. The leaders of both countries constantly meet, discussing something. What exactly?

It is publicly stated that joint economic projects are the subject of discussion, but a number of experts believe otherwise: the real reason for the meetings is the territorial dispute over the Kuril Islands, which is being resolved by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. And then there's the Nikkei newspaper published information that Moscow and Tokyo seem to be planning to introduce joint management of the northern territories. So what - the Kuriles are preparing to transfer to Japan?

The thaw in relations became especially noticeable six months ago, during Shinzo Abe's May visit to Sochi. Then the Japanese prime minister called the Russian president “you”, explaining that in Japan they only address a friend in this way. Another sign of friendship was Tokyo's refusal to join the economic sanctions against Russia.

Abe proposed to Putin an eight-point economic cooperation plan in various areas - industry, energy, the gas sector, and trade partnerships. In addition, Japan is ready to invest in Russian healthcare and transport infrastructure. In general, a dream, not a plan! What about in return? Yes, the painful topic of the Kuril Islands was also touched upon. The parties agreed that the solution of the territorial dispute is an important step towards the signing of a peace treaty between the countries. That is, there were no hints about the transfer of the islands. Nevertheless, the first stone in the development of a sensitive topic was laid.

Danger of angering the dragon

Since then, the leaders of Russia and Japan have met on the sidelines of international summits.

In September during Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Abe promised again economic cooperation However, this time he directly appealed to Putin with a call for joint efforts to solve the problem of the northern territories, which has been overshadowing Russian-Japanese relations for several decades.

In the meantime, the Nikkei newspaper reported that Tokyo expects to establish joint control over the islands of Kunashir and Iturup, while hoping to get Habomai and Shikotan in full in the future. The publication writes that Shinzo Abe should discuss this issue with Vladimir Putin during their meeting scheduled for December 15.

Nihon Kezai also wrote about the same: the Japanese government is discussing a project of joint governance with Russia as a measure that will help move the territorial problem off the ground. The publication even reports: there is information that Moscow has begun the process of setting goals.

And then came the poll results. It turns out that already more than half of the Japanese "are ready to show flexibility in resolving the issue of the Kuril Islands." That is, they agree that Russia should not hand over four disputed islands, but only two - Shikotan and Habomai.

Now the Japanese press is writing about the transfer of the islands as a practically resolved issue. It is unlikely that information on such an important topic is sucked from the finger. The main question remains: is Moscow really ready to give up territories in exchange for economic cooperation with Japan and its help in the fight against sanctions?

Obviously, with all the goodness of Putin’s communication with Abe, it is hard to believe that the President of the Russian Federation, after the annexation of Crimea, earned himself the fame of a “collector of Russian lands”, will agree to a soft and gradual, but still loss of territories. Especially on the nose of the 2018 presidential election. But what will happen after them?

All-Russian Research Center public opinion V last time conducted a survey on the transfer of the Kuril Islands in 2010. Then the vast majority of Russians - 79% - were in favor of leaving the islands to Russia and stop discussing this issue. It is unlikely that public sentiment has changed much over the past six years. If Putin really wants to go down in history, he is unlikely to be pleasantly associated with unpopular politicians who have already attempted to transfer the islands.

However, they transferred the lands to China, and nothing - the public was silent.

On the other hand, the Kuriles are a symbol, which is why they are well-known. But if you want an explanation, you can find anything. Moreover, there are arguments for mass consumption. Thus, the Tokyo correspondent of TASS Vasily Golovnin writes: as compensation for the transfer of the South Kuril Islands, Japan promises to establish a post office and hospitals in Russia, equipping clinics with equipment for early diagnosis of diseases at its own expense. In addition, the Japanese intend to offer their developments in the field of clean energy, housing construction, as well as year-round growing vegetables. So there will be something to justify the transfer of a couple of islands.

Moscow's friendship with Tokyo alarms Beijing

However, this issue has another side. The fact is that Japan has territorial claims not only to Russia, but also to China and South Korea. In particular, there is a long-standing dispute between Tokyo and Beijing over the status of an uninhabited piece of land called Okinotori. By Japanese version, this is an island, but China considers it rocks, which means it does not recognize international law Tokyo to establish a 200-mile exclusive economic zone around it. The subject of another territorial dispute is the Senkaku archipelago in the East China Sea, 170 kilometers northeast of Taiwan. WITH South Korea Japan is arguing over the ownership of the Liancourt Islands, located in the western part of the Sea of ​​Japan.

Therefore, if Russia satisfies the territorial claims of Japan, there will be a precedent. And then Tokyo will begin to seek similar actions from its other neighbors. It is logical to assume that these neighbors will regard the transfer of the Kuril Islands as a "setup." Should we quarrel with China, our main strategic partner in Asia? Especially now, when the construction of the second branch of the Russian gas pipeline to China has begun, when the Chinese are investing in our gas companies. Of course, policy diversification in Asia is a useful thing, but one that requires the Kremlin to be very careful.

How the Kuriles tried to return to Japan

Nikita Khrushchev, when he was the first secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU, offered to return to Japan two islands that lie closest to its borders. Japanese side ratified the treaty, but Moscow changed its mind due to the increased US military presence in Japan.

The next attempt was made by the first president of Russia, Boris Yeltsin. The then Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei Kozyrev was already preparing documents for the visit of the head of state to Japan, during which it was supposed to formalize the transfer of the islands. What prevented Yeltsin's plans? There are different versions of this. Major General of the FSO in the reserve Boris Ratnikov, who from 1991 to 1994 worked as the first deputy head of the Main Security Directorate of the Russian Federation, said in an interview how his department upset Yeltsin's visit to Japan, allegedly for security reasons. According to another version, Anatoly Chubais dissuaded Yeltsin, actually embodying a scene from the film "Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession", where the thief Miloslavsky throws himself at the feet of the false tsar with the words: "They did not order to execute, they told to say the word."

There are territorial disputes in modern world. Only the Asia-Pacific region has several of these. The most serious of them is the territorial dispute over the Kuril Islands. Russia and Japan are its main participants. The situation on the islands, which are considered to be a kind of between these states, has the appearance of a dormant volcano. No one knows when he will start his "eruption".

Discovery of the Kuril Islands

The archipelago, located on the border between and the Pacific Ocean, is the Kuril Islands. It stretches from about. Hokkaido to the territory of the Kuril Islands consists of 30 large land areas, surrounded on all sides by the waters of the sea and ocean, and a large number small ones.

The first expedition from Europe, which ended up near the shores of the Kuriles and Sakhalin, is dutch sailors under the direction of M. G. Friz. This event took place in 1634. They not only made the discovery of these lands, but also proclaimed them as Dutch territory.

The explorers of the Russian Empire also studied Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands:

• 1646 - discovery of the northwestern Sakhalin coast by the expedition of V. D. Poyarkov;
• 1697 - VV Atlasov becomes aware of the existence of the islands.

At the same time on southern islands Japanese sailors begin to sail the archipelago. By the end of the 18th century, their trading posts and fishing trips appeared here, and a little later - scientific expeditions. A special role in the research belongs to M. Tokunai and M. Rinzō. Around the same time, an expedition from France and England appeared on the Kuril Islands.

Island discovery problem

The history of the Kuril Islands has still preserved discussions about the issue of their discovery. The Japanese claim that they were the first to find these lands in 1644. National Museum Japanese history carefully keeps a map of that time, on which the corresponding designations are applied. According to them, Russian people appeared there a little later, in 1711. In addition, the Russian map of this area, dated 1721, designates it as "Japanese Islands." That is, Japan was the discoverer of these lands.

The Kuril Islands in Russian history were first mentioned in the reporting document of N. I. Kolobov to Tsar Alexei of 1646 on the peculiarities of wanderings. Also, data from chronicles and maps of medieval Holland, Scandinavia and Germany testify to indigenous Russian villages.

By the end of the 18th century, they were officially annexed to the Russian lands, and the population of the Kuril Islands acquired Russian citizenship. At the same time, state taxes began to be collected here. But neither then, nor a little later, was any bilateral Russian-Japanese treaty or international agreement signed that would secure Russia's rights to these islands. In addition, their southern part was not under the power and control of the Russians.

The Kuril Islands and relations between Russia and Japan

The history of the Kuril Islands in the early 1840s is characterized by the revitalization of British, American and French expeditions in the Northwest Pacific. This is the reason for a new surge of Russia's interest in establishing diplomatic and commercial relations with the Japanese side. Vice Admiral E. V. Putyatin in 1843 initiated the idea of ​​equipment new expedition into Japanese and Chinese territory. But it was rejected by Nicholas I.

Later, in 1844, I.F. Kruzenshtern supported him. But this did not receive the support of the emperor.

During this period, the Russian-American company took active steps to establish good relations with the neighboring country.

First treaty between Japan and Russia

The problem of the Kuril Islands was resolved in 1855, when Japan and Russia signed the first treaty. Before that, a rather lengthy negotiation process took place. It began with the arrival of Putyatin in Shimoda at the end of the autumn of 1854. But soon the negotiations were interrupted by an intense earthquake. A rather serious complication was the support provided by the French and English rulers to the Turks.

The main provisions of the agreement:

• establishment of diplomatic relations between these countries;
• protection and patronage, as well as ensuring the inviolability of the property of citizens of one power in the territory of another;
• drawing a border between states located near the islands of Urup and Iturup Kuril archipelago(preservation of indivisible);
• the opening of some ports for Russian sailors, the permission to conduct trade here under the supervision of local officials;
• the appointment of a Russian consul in one of these ports;
• granting the right of extraterritoriality;
• receiving by Russia the status of the most favored nation.

Japan also received permission from Russia to trade in the port of Korsakov, located on the territory of Sakhalin, for 10 years. The country's consulate was established here. At the same time, any trade and customs duties were excluded.

Attitude of countries to the Treaty

A new stage, which includes the history of the Kuril Islands, is the signing of the Russian-Japanese treaty of 1875. It caused mixed reviews from representatives of these countries. Citizens of Japan believed that the country's government had done wrong by exchanging Sakhalin for "an insignificant ridge of pebbles" (as they called the Kuriles).

Others simply put forward statements about the exchange of one territory of the country for another. Most of them were inclined to think that sooner or later the day would come when the war did come to the Kuril Islands. The dispute between Russia and Japan will escalate into hostilities, and battles will begin between the two countries.

The Russian side assessed the situation in a similar way. Most representatives of this state believed that the entire territory belongs to them as discoverers. Therefore, the treaty of 1875 did not become the act that once and for all determined the delimitation between the countries. It also failed to be a means of preventing further conflicts between them.

Russo-Japanese War

The history of the Kuril Islands continues, and the next impetus to complication Russo-Japanese relations there was a war. It took place despite the existence of agreements concluded between these states. In 1904, Japan's treacherous attack on Russian territory took place. This happened before the start of hostilities was officially announced.

The Japanese fleet attacked the Russian ships that were in the outer roadstead of Port Artois. Thus, some of the most powerful ships belonging to the Russian squadron were disabled.

The most significant events of 1905:

• the largest land battle of Mukden in the history of mankind at that time, which took place on February 5-24 and ended with the withdrawal of the Russian army;
• The Tsushima battle at the end of May, which ended with the destruction of the Russian Baltic squadron.

Despite the fact that the course of events in this war was in the best possible way in favor of Japan, she was forced to enter into peace negotiations. This was due to the fact that the country's economy was very depleted by military events. On August 9, a peace conference between the participants in the war began in Portsmouth.

Reasons for Russia's defeat in the war

Despite the fact that the conclusion of the peace treaty determined to some extent the situation in which the Kuril Islands were, the dispute between Russia and Japan did not stop. This caused a significant number of protests in Tokyo, but the effects of the war were very tangible for the country.

During this conflict, the Russian Pacific Fleet was practically completely destroyed, more than 100 thousand of its soldiers were killed. There was also a stop to the expansion of the Russian state to the East. The results of the war were indisputable evidence of how weak the tsarist policy was.

This was one of the main reasons for the revolutionary actions in 1905-1907.

The most important reasons for the defeat of Russia in the war of 1904-1905.

1. The presence of diplomatic isolation of the Russian Empire.
2. The absolute unpreparedness of the country's troops to conduct combat acts in difficult situations.
3. The shameless betrayal of domestic stakeholders and the mediocrity of most Russian generals.
4. The high level of development and readiness of the military and economic spheres of Japan.

Until our time unresolved Kuril issue represents great danger. After World War II, no peace treaty was signed following its results. From this dispute, the Russian people, like the population of the Kuril Islands, have absolutely no benefit. Moreover, this state of affairs contributes to the generation of hostility between countries. It is precisely the speedy resolution of such a diplomatic issue as the problem of the Kuril Islands that is the key to good neighborly relations between Russia and Japan.

The Southern Kuril Islands are a stumbling block in relations between Russia and Japan. The dispute over the ownership of the islands prevents our neighboring countries from concluding a peace treaty, which was violated during the Second World War, negatively affects the economic ties between Russia and Japan, contributes to an ever-preserving state of distrust, even hostility, of the Russian and Japanese peoples

Kurile Islands

Disputed islands - Kunashir, Shikotan, Iturup, Habomai

Kunashir Island

Habomai

The history of the discovery of the Kuril Islands

- In October-November 1648, he was the first of the Russians to pass through the First Kuril Strait, that is, the strait separating the most north island Kuril ridge Shumshu from the southern tip of Kamchatka, under the command of the clerk of the Moscow merchant Usov Fedot Alekseevich Popov. It is possible that Popov's people even landed on Shumshu.
- The first Europeans to visit the Kuril Islands were the Dutch. On February 3, 1643, the two ships Castricum and Breskens, which left Batavia in the direction of Japan, under the general command of Martin de Vries, approached the Lesser Kuril Ridge on June 13. The Dutch saw the shores of Iturup, Shikotan, discovered the strait between the islands of Iturup and Kunashir.
- In 1711, the Cossacks Antsiferov and Kozyrevsky visited the Northern Kuril Islands Shumsha and Paramushir and even unsuccessfully tried to rip off tribute from local population- Ainu.
- In 1721, by decree of Peter the Great, an expedition of Evreeinov and Luzhin was sent to the Kuriles, who explored and mapped 14 islands in the central part of the Kuril ridge.
- In the summer of 1739, a Russian ship under the command of M. Spanberg rounded the islands of the South Kuril ridge. Spanberg mapped, although inaccurately, the entire ridge of the Kuril Islands from the Kamchatka nose to Hokkaido.

Ainu lived on the Kuril Islands. Ainu - the first population Japanese islands- was gradually forced out by newcomers from Central Asia north to the island of Hokkaido and further to the Kuriles. From October 1946 to May 1948, tens of thousands of Ainu and Japanese were taken from the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin to the island of Hokkaido

The problem of the Kuril Islands. Briefly

- February 7, 1855 ( a new style) - in the Japanese port of Shimoda, the first diplomatic document in relations between Russia and Japan, the so-called Treaty of Simond, was signed. On behalf of Russia, it was endorsed by Vice-Admiral E. V. Putyatin, on behalf of Japan - authorized Toshiakira Kawaji.

Article 2: “From now on, the borders between Russia and Japan will pass between the islands of Iturup and Urup. The whole island of Iturup belongs to Japan, and the whole island of Urup and the other Kuril Islands to the north are the possession of Russia. As for the island of Crafto (Sakhalin), it remains undivided between Russia and Japan, as it has been until now.

- 1875, May 7 - a new Russian-Japanese treaty "On the exchange of territories" was concluded in St. Petersburg. On behalf of Russia, it was signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs A. Gorchakov, and on behalf of Japan, by Admiral Enomoto Takeaki.

Article 1. “His Majesty the Emperor of Japan ... cedes to His Majesty the Emperor of All Russia part of the territory of Sakhalin Island (Krafto), which he now owns .. so that from now on the aforementioned Sakhalin Island (Krafto) will completely belong Russian Empire and the boundary line between the Empires of Russia and Japan will pass in these waters through the La Perouse Strait "

Article 2. “In return for the cession of rights to Sakhalin Island to Russia, His Majesty the All-Russian Emperor cedes to His Majesty the Emperor of Japan a group of islands called the Kuril Islands. ... This group includes ... eighteen islands 1) Shumshu 2) Alaid 3) Paramushir 4) Makanrushi 5) Onekotan, 6) Harimkotan, 7) Ekarma, 8) Shiashkotan, 9) Mus-sir, 10) Raikoke, 11) Matua , 12) Rastua, 13) the islets of Sredneva and Ushisir, 14) Ketoi, 15) Simusir, 16) Broughton, 17) the islets of Cherpoy and Brother Cherpoev, and 18) Urup, so that the border line between the Russian and Japanese Empires in these waters will pass through the strait located between Cape Lopatkoy of the Kamchatka Peninsula and Shumshu Island"

- May 28, 1895 - An agreement between Russia and Japan on trade and navigation was signed in St. Petersburg. On behalf of Russia, it was signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs A. Lobanov-Rostovsky and Minister of Finance S. Witte; on behalf of Japan, it was signed by Nishi Tokujiro, Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Russian Court. The treaty consisted of 20 articles.

Article 18 stated that the treaty supersedes all previous Russo-Japanese treaties, agreements and conventions

- 1905, September 5 - Portsmouth Peace Treaty was concluded in Portsmouth (USA), which completed. On behalf of Russia, it was signed by Chairman of the Committee of Ministers S. Witte and Ambassador to the United States R. Rosen, on behalf of Japan by Foreign Minister D. Komura and envoy to the United States K. Takahira.

Article IX: “The Russian Imperial Government cedes to the Imperial Japanese Government in perpetual and complete possession the southern part of the island of Sakhalin and all the islands adjacent to the latter .... The fiftieth parallel of northern latitude is taken as the limit of the ceded territory.

- 1907, July 30 - An agreement between Japan and Russia was signed in St. Petersburg, consisting of a public convention and a secret treaty. The convention stated that the parties were obliged to respect the territorial integrity of both countries and all the rights arising from the agreements existing between them. The agreement was signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs A. Izvolsky and Ambassador of Japan to Russia I. Motono
- 1916, July 3 - in Petrograd Petrograd established the Russo-Japanese alliance. It consisted of a vowel and a secret part. In the secret one, the previous Russian-Japanese agreements were also confirmed. The documents were signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs S. Sazonov and I. Motono
- 1925, January 20 - the Soviet-Japanese Convention on the Basic Principles of Relations, ... the declaration of the Soviet government ... was signed in Beijing. The documents were endorsed by L. Karahan from the USSR and K. Yoshizawa from Japan

convention.
Article II: “The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics agrees that the treaty concluded at Portsmouth on 5 September 1905 shall remain in full force and effect. It is agreed that the treaties, conventions and agreements, other than the said Treaty of Portsmouth, concluded between Japan and Russia before November 7, 1917, will be revised at a conference to be held subsequently between the Governments of the Contracting Parties, and that they may be amended or canceled as necessary. changing circumstances require."
The declaration emphasized that the government of the USSR does not share political responsibility with the former tsarist government for the conclusion of the Portsmouth Peace Treaty: “The Plenipotentiary of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics has the honor to declare that the recognition by his Government of the validity of the Treaty of Portsmouth of September 5, 1905 does not in any way mean that The government of the Union shares with the former tsarist government the political responsibility for the conclusion of the said treaty.

- 1941, April 13 - Neutrality Pact between Japan and the USSR. The pact was signed by Foreign Ministers Molotov and Yosuke Matsuoka
Article 2 "In the event that one of the contracting parties becomes the object of hostilities by one or more third powers, the other contracting party shall remain neutral throughout the entire conflict."
- 1945, February 11 - at the Yalta Conference of Stalin Roosevelt and Churchill, an agreement was signed on the Far East.

"2. The return of the rights that belonged to Russia, violated by the perfidious attack of Japan in 1904, namely:
a) the return to the Soviet Union of the southern part of about. Sakhalin and all adjacent islands, ...
3. Transfers of the Kuril Islands to the Soviet Union"

- 1945, April 5 - Molotov received the Japanese ambassador to the USSR, Naotake Sato, and made a statement to him that in the conditions when Japan was at war with England and the USA, allies of the USSR, the pact loses its meaning and its extension becomes impossible
- August 9, 1945 - The USSR declared war on Japan.
- 1946, January 29 - Memorandum of the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces in the Far East, American General D. MacArthur, to the government of Japan determined that the southern part of Sakhalin and all the Kuril Islands, including Malaya Kuril ridge(the Habomai group of islands and the island of Shikotan), are withdrawn from the sovereignty of the Japanese state
- 1946, February 2 - Decree of the Presidium Supreme Council USSR, in accordance with the provisions of the Yalta Agreement and the Potsdam Declaration, the South Sakhalin (now Sakhalin) Region of the RSFSR was created in the returned Russian territories

Return to line-up Russian territory South Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands made it possible to provide access to Pacific Ocean ships of the Navy of the USSR, to acquire a new frontier of forward deployment of the Far Eastern group of ground forces, which has been carried far beyond the continent, and military aviation Soviet Union, and now the Russian Federation

- 1951, September 8 - Japan signed the San Francisco Peace Treaty, according to which it renounced "all rights ... to the Kuril Islands and to that part of Sakhalin ..., sovereignty over which it acquired under the Portsmouth Treaty of September 5, 1905." The USSR refused to sign this treaty, since, according to Minister Gromyko, the text of the treaty did not enshrine the sovereignty of the USSR over South Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands.

The San Francisco Peace Treaty between the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition and Japan officially ended the Second world war, fixed the procedure for paying reparations to allies and compensation to countries affected by Japanese aggression

- 1956, August 19 - in Moscow, the USSR and Japan signed a declaration ending the state of war between them. According to it (including) the island of Shikotan and the Habomai ridge were to be transferred to Japan after the signing of a peace treaty between the USSR and Japan. However, soon Japan, under pressure from the United States, refused to sign a peace treaty, since the United States threatened that if Japan withdraws its claims to the Kunashir and Iturup islands, the Ryukyu archipelago with the island of Okinawa would not be returned to Japan, which, on the basis of Article 3 of the San Francisco Peace the treaty was then administered by the United States

“President of Russia V.V. Putin has repeatedly confirmed that Russia, as a successor state of the USSR, is committed to this document…. It is clear that if it comes to the implementation of the 1956 Declaration, a lot of details will have to be agreed upon ... However, the sequence that is set out in this Declaration remains unchanged ... the first step before everything else is the signing and entry into force of a peace treaty "(Russian Foreign Minister S . Lavrov)

- 1960, January 19 - Japan and the United States signed the "Treaty of Interaction and Security"
- January 27, 1960 - The government of the USSR announced that since this agreement was directed against the USSR, it refuses to consider the transfer of the islands to Japan, since this will lead to the expansion of the territory used by American troops
- 2011, November - Lavrov: "The Kuriles were, are and will be our territory in accordance with the decisions that were made following the results of the Second World War"

Iturup, the largest of the South Kuril Islands, became ours 70 years ago. Under the Japanese, tens of thousands of people lived here, life was in full swing in the villages and markets, there was a large military base from where the Japanese squadron left to smash Pearl Harbor. What have we built here over the past years? Recently, here is the airport. A couple of shops and hotels also appeared. And in the main settlement - the city of Kurilsk with a population of just over one and a half thousand people - they laid an outlandish attraction: a couple of hundred meters (!) Of asphalt. But in the store, the seller warns the buyer: “The product is almost expired. Do you take it? And he hears in response: “Yes, I know. Of course I will." And how not to take it if there is not enough food (with the exception of fish and what the garden gives), and there will be no delivery in the coming days, more precisely, it is not known when it will be. Local people like to repeat: we have 3,000 people and 8,000 bears here. There are more people, of course, if you count the military and border guards, but no one counted the bears - maybe there are more of them. From the south to the north of the island, one has to get along a harsh dirt road through the pass, where hungry foxes guard each car, and roadside burdocks are the size of a person, you can hide with them. Beauty, of course: volcanoes, hollows, springs. But it is safe to ride on the local dirt trails only during the day and when
there is no fog. And in rare settlements the streets are empty after nine in the evening - curfew in fact. A simple question - why did the Japanese live well here, while we only get settlements? - most of the inhabitants simply do not occur. We live - we guard the earth.(“Rotational sovereignty”. “Spark” No. 25 (5423), June 27, 2016)

Once a prominent Soviet figure was asked: “Why don't you give Japan these islands. She has such a small territory, and you have such a large one? “That’s why it’s big because we don’t give it back,” the activist answered.