THE JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SAID THAT RUSSIA HAD OCCUPIED THE SOUTH KURIL ISLANDS

Negotiations between Muscovy and Tokyo on the ownership of the islands of Iturup, Kunashir and Shikotan have been under way since the middle of the last century. At the same time, the Russian side has repeatedly stated that its sovereignty over these territories has the appropriate international legal framework and is beyond doubt. Japan does not recognize Russia's sovereignty over the southern Kuril Islands and considers them its own.

Russia is blocking the resolution of the dispute in international courts. Territorial dispute is the main obstacle to the conclusion of a peace treaty between Japan and Russia after World War II.

The European Parliament, in its resolution "EU-China-Taiwan Relations and Security in the Far East", adopted on July 7, 2005, called on Russia to return to Japan the "occupied territories" - the South Kuril Islands.