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Kurile Islands - 1990
Kurile Islands - 1990
Jacek Pałkiewicz2006-06-17 15:59:04
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a political impetus for advancing overall relations between the two countries in a balanced manner. As for the territorial issue, the two leaders confirmed that bilateral relations be developed further on the basis of the Tokyo Declaration, and agreed that it is important to revitalize the peace treaty negotiations at the Foreign Minister level. For this purpose, they also agreed to restart Peace Treaty working Group after Russia's presidential election.
When Japan lost the islands, 17,000 Japanese were expelled, most from the southern islands of Shikotan, Iturup, the Habomais, and Kunashir, just 13 miles from Hokkaido. Ever since, Japan has pressed a claim to what it calls the Northern Territories. Only five islands are permanently inhabited. Paramushir has an estimated 4,500 people. Kunashir has 4,000 people; Shikotan has 1,500 people; the Habomais has 300, and Iturup-- from where Japan launched the attack on Pearl Harbor has 6,000 people.
It is also important to note that perhaps thousands of Russian border troops in lonely bases throughout the Kuriles. President Boris Yeltsin announced during his visit to Japan in 1993 that Russia would withdraw all military troops other than border troops from the Northern Territories. Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov explained to Foreign Minister Yukihiro Ikeda that the present number of Russian military troops in the Northern Territories is 3,500 and there are none on Shikotan Island, reportedly.
Still back in late 1950s, a young man with little education could earn nearly three times as much in the Kurile's as on the mainland Russia. This was because the Soviet government was encouraging pioneers to settle the Pacific frontier to open up its vast resources. The government took care of these people with generous subsidies for schools, health care, and other social services. Back then, every year, it was possible for the young couple to take a month's vacations on the "continent,"
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