Japan Press Weekly

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2018 February 7 - 13 [POLITICS]

JCP seeks peace treaty stipulating return of all the Chishima Islands: JCP

An annual assembly calling for the return of the “four Russian-held islands” off Hokkaido (Habomai, Shikotan, Kunashiri, and Etorofu) took place on February 7 in Tokyo, hosted by the organizing committee consisting of the Cabinet Office and six local organizations.

Former islanders, Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, and representatives of political parties appeared on the stage to express their determination to work hard for a solution to the territorial issues between Japan and Russia. Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors Kami Tomoko attended the gathering on behalf of the party.

Political parties’ written messages of support to the rally were distributed to the participants.

The JCP in its message pointed out that leaders of the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union in the 1945 Yalta Agreement agreed on the handover of the Chishima (Kuril) Islands to the Soviet Union in violation of the territorial non-expansion principle which was confirmed by the Allied Powers as a major principle in the postwar disposition. The JCP stated that such an outrageous arrangement was accepted in the 1952 San Francisco Peace Treaty and has been underlying the Japan-Russia territorial issue.

The JCP stressed that only by addressing the contentious historical evidence can the process for resolving the territorial issues be advanced. The party expressed its determination to seek a peace treaty that contains a clause stipulating the return of not only the four islands but the entire chain of the Chishima Islands.

Prime Minister Abe referred to the Japan-Russia Summit meeting at the end of 2016 and said that Russian President Putin and he will work for a conclusion to talks regarding the issue of a peace treaty between the two nations.

Meanwhile, a representative of the former islanders said, “The two leaders’ talks fell short of our expectations. We will never give up our fight to return to our homeland.”

Past related articles:
> Abe’s ‘new approach’ is useless in solving territorial dispute with Russia: JCP Hatayama [February 4, 2017]
> Japanese gov’t should negotiate with Russia for return of ‘Northern Territories’ based on international law: JCP [February 8, 2016]