Southern Kuril Islands dispute is Russian-Japanese issue, says Chinese diplomat

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian stressed that the outcome of World War II had to be duly respected and complied with

World 19:18 27.07.2021
Japan’s territorial claims to Russia regarding the southern Kuril Islands are to be settled by Tokyo and Moscow independently, on a bilateral basis, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a briefing on Tuesday.
 
"We know about this. This is an issue of Russian-Japanese relations that should be settled by the two sides," the diplomat said when asked to comment on Japan’s protest over a visit by the Russian prime minister to the Iturup Island.
 
"At the same time, China has always been confident that the outcome of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War (this is what WWII is called in China) must be duly respected and complied with," the spokesman stressed.
 
On Monday, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin embarked on a working trip to the Far East and Siberia. On the first leg of the trip, Mishustin traveled to the Kuril Archipelago, namely Iturup Island. Here the prime minister visited a clinic and inspected a fish processing facility.
President Vladimir Putin earlier requested that he pay particular attention to the southern Kuril Islands during the trip. Putin pointed out that Russia had long been in talks with Tokyo on creating "conditions for economic entities" there. The president also announced "unique and unprecedented" proposals to involve Japan in the economic activity of the Kuril Islands. The initiatives will be finalized after Mishustin’s trip, Putin explained.
 
On Monday, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told reporters that Japan would lodge a protest over the Russian prime minister’s "regrettable" visit to Iturup. According to him, the visit runs counter to Tokyo’s consistent stance on the Northern Territories (Japan’s term for Russia’s southern Kuril Islands). He also said that the Japanese government would continue to collect and analyze information on that trip.
 
Russian Ambassador to Japan Mikhail Galuzin was summoned to the Japanese Foreign Ministry, where First Deputy Foreign Minister Takeo Mori voiced a protest to him over Mikhail Mishustin’s working trip to Iturup Island. The diplomat told journalists later that Russia dismissed Japan’s protest.
 
For decades, Moscow and Tokyo have been holding consultations in order to clinch a peace treaty as a follow-up to World War II. The southern Kuril Islands issue remains the key sticking point. In 1945, the whole archipelago was handed over to the Soviet Union. Tokyo laid claims to Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and a group of uninhabited islands. The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly stated that Moscow’s sovereignty over the islands is enshrined in international law and cannot be called into question.
 

 

IEPF issued a statement regarding Azerbaijani children at the UN Human Rights Council

News line

Türkiye supports firefighting operations in Syria’s Latakia
22:00 05.07.2025
UNRWA calls for immediate fuel delivery to Israel-blockaded Gaza before shutdown of basic services
21:45 05.07.2025
Pashinyan: Armenia needs new constitution
21:20 05.07.2025
UN chief condemns Russia's recent 'series of large-scale' attacks on Ukraine
21:00 05.07.2025
Kazakh servicemen arrive in Azerbaijan to participate in Tarlan - 2025 exercise
20:45 05.07.2025
Erdogan: US has crucial role in achieving ceasefire in Gaza
20:20 05.07.2025
Building collapse in Pakistan kills 15
19:45 05.07.2025
Turkish FM Fidan to attend 17th BRICS Leaders Summit in Rio de Janeiro
19:30 05.07.2025
Australia pledges $283M for green energy project by explosives maker
19:10 05.07.2025
OPEC+ speeds up oil output hikes, adds 548,000 bpd in August
18:45 05.07.2025
Inter completes signing of Ange-Yoan Bonny from Parma
18:20 05.07.2025
Turkish president sees Zangazur corridor 'as part of the geoeconomic revolution'
18:00 05.07.2025
Turkish president urges Azerbaijan, Russia to show restrain amid tension
17:45 05.07.2025
China says war 'not a solution' to Iranian nuclear issue
17:15 05.07.2025
At least 18 people injured after fire alert on Ryanair plane in Majorca as passengers abandon jet & leap from wing
17:00 05.07.2025
Azerbaijani PM meets with UNESCAP executive secretary
16:45 05.07.2025
Lebanese president affirms coordination with Syria, warns against sectarian tensions
16:15 05.07.2025
21 killed in Israeli strikes on tents, school-turned-shelters in Gaza Strip
16:00 05.07.2025
Turkish construction sector takes on international projects worth $6.2B in first half of 2025
15:45 05.07.2025
Azerbaijani woman wrestler becomes European champion
15:30 05.07.2025
Mayor: Death toll in Russian attacks on Kyiv reached two
15:15 05.07.2025
Texas floods kill 24 people and leave many missing from girls' summer camp
14:45 05.07.2025
Conor McGregor has interest in White House fight after Trump's UFC idea
14:30 05.07.2025
Netanyahu era sees 40% surge in Israeli settlements in occupied West Bank
14:15 05.07.2025
Equatorial Guinea sues France in UN court to block sale of Paris mansion
14:00 05.07.2025
US president 'disappointed' over phone call with Putin
13:45 05.07.2025
Academy of Azerbaijan`s State Security Service hosts graduation ceremony
13:30 05.07.2025
Azerbaijan and Pakistan ink memo in Khankendi
13:15 05.07.2025
Trump says there could be Gaza deal next week
13:00 05.07.2025
First flight from Türkiye to Syria launched
12:45 05.07.2025
US marks its 249th anniversary of independence
12:30 05.07.2025
Azerbaijan's role in regional integration discussed at London conference
12:00 05.07.2025
Uzbek Minister: Mirziyoyev's visit to Azerbaijan crucial for dev’t of transport links
11:45 05.07.2025
Trump says US will start talks with China on TikTok deal this week
11:30 05.07.2025
Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif concludes visit to Azerbaijan
11:15 05.07.2025
Pakistani premier proposes low-emissions corridor at Economic Cooperation Organization summit
11:00 05.07.2025
Rwanda pledges to deliver on its part of US-brokered peace deal with DR Congo
10:45 05.07.2025
Hezbollah rejects calls to disarm before end of Israeli ‘aggression’ against Lebanon
10:30 05.07.2025
Trump says Gaza ceasefire deal may come next week after ‘positive’ Hamas response
10:15 05.07.2025
Taiwan's ruling party launches campaign to oust opposition lawmakers
10:00 05.07.2025
Hamısı