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Koizumi Misunderstands Putin's Position on the Kuril Islands
December 24, Japan continues to insist on Russia returning all four disputable Kuril Islands, after Putin announced his willingness to return two of them.: “Japan doesn’t understand why Russia can’t return all four islands,” Japan Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said
Japan Foreign Affairs Minister Nobutaka Machimura also added: “Our basic position remains unchanged.”
On Thursday, the RF President announced at the press conference that Russia was willing to pass two islands to Japan in exchange for a peace treaty, which was signed by the two countries in 1956. “Since Japan had signed the declaration, why does it continue raising the issue of four islands?” Putin asked.
Putin’s visit to Japan in honor of signing the first agreement between Tokyo and tzarist Russia is planned for next year. Japanese media regularly expresses fear regarding the visit being cancelled in case there is no progress on the islands negotiation.”
However, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda states that Japan is willing to discuss the problem at different levels and continues to prepare for Putin’s visit.
The issue on the islands significantly draws attention because of Japan’s attempts to beat China’s offer on constructing a new pipe line from Siberia, which is to satisfy the growing demand for energy in Eastern Asia.
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