Deputy Chair Of The Moscow Security Council Values Russia And Japan Will Never Reach Consensus On The Kuril Islands

Russian President Vladimir Putin with Dmitry Medvedev. (Wikimedia Commons/Government.ru)

JAKARTA - Russia and Japan will never be able to reach a convention on the Kuril Islands, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev wrote in a Telegram post.

"Russia has refused to resume peace talks with. In the context of the Kuril Islands, this is a long-standing and fair historically agreed move," he said, quoted from TASS March 23.

According to Medvedev, it is 'clear' that Russia and Japan will never reach an agreement on this matter.

"Both parties knew about it beforehand. Negotiations regarding the Kurils are always ritualistic," he said.

Medvedev noted that the amended Russian Constitution "directly stipulates that the territory of the state is not subject to alienation". "This is a closed issue," he stressed.

Following America's example, Japan wants to act like a 'proud independent samurai' and impose sanctions on Russia, showing with whom they will negotiate the hypothetical text of a peace treaty, Medvedev said.

"The conversation no longer makes sense. And that's fine," the post reads.

Illustration of a corner of the Kuril Islands. (Wikimedia Commons/Anatoly Gruzevich/VNIRO Russia)

The politician said it was much more important to address the development of the Kuril Islands. He said, in recent years, Russia had "breathed new life into" the region.

In addition, Medvedev also mentioned having visited the islands several times, taking steps to support them and seeing real improvements, including schools, roads and airports.

"And most importantly, the local people saw it too. That will happen in the future too!" said Medvedev.

As previously reported, Moscow is ending peace treaty talks with Tokyo, in light of Japan's newly introduced unilateral restrictions on Russia over the situation in Ukraine, Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

Russia and Japan are known to have experienced disputes regarding the Kuril Islands which were taken by the Soviet Union after the end of the Second World War, during the invasions on August 18 and September 3, 1945. The problems of the two countries regarding the islands and the Sakhalin Islands, began to be discussed, although not directly since the Shimoda Treaty of 1855. "In view of the unfriendly nature of Japan's unilateral restrictions on Russia on the situation in Ukraine, the following steps should be taken. In the current situation the Russian side has no intention of continuing peace treaty talks with Japan," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"Because it is impossible to discuss signing a fundamental agreement in bilateral relations, with a country that blatantly takes a hostile attitude and tries to harm the interests of our country," the Russian Foreign Ministry continued.

Airfield in the Kuril Islands. (Wikimedia Commons/Vera.vvo)

It said the decision had been made to stop visa-free travel by Japanese nationals, based on the 1991 visa-free exchange agreement between Russia's Southern Kuril Islands and Japan. As well as the 1999 agreement on simple travel rules for Japanese people wishing to visit their former residences in Japan. islands.

"Because it is impossible to discuss signing a fundamental agreement in bilateral relations, with a country that blatantly takes a hostile attitude and tries to harm the interests of our country," the Russian Foreign Ministry continued.

It said the decision had been made to stop visa-free travel by Japanese nationals, based on the 1991 visa-free exchange agreement between Russia's Southern Kuril Islands and Japan. As well as the 1999 agreement on simple travel rules for Japanese people wishing to visit their former residences in Japan. islands.

In response, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he strongly opposed Russia's decision, calling it unfair and totally unacceptable.

"This whole situation has been created by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russia's reaction to pushing these (sanctions) into Japan-Russia relations is very unfair and totally unacceptable," he stressed, adding Japan's stance in seeking a peace treaty had not changed, protested the steps taken by Russia, as reported by Reuters.

"Japan must resolutely continue to sanction Russia in cooperation with the rest of the world," he stressed.

Separately, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said Japan had lodged a protest with the Russian Ambassador in Tokyo.

Japan has imposed sanctions on 76 individuals, seven banks and 12 other bodies in Russia, the latest on Friday, including defense officials and state-owned arms exporter Rosoboronexport. Russia and prohibits the import of certain products.