RUSSO JAPANESE TERRITORIAL DISPUTE KURILE ISLANDS

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RUSSO - JAPANESE TERRITORIAL
DISPUTEKURILE ISLANDS
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Geography

• The chain of 56 islands streching 1,270 km from
  Kamchatka to Hokkaido
• Total area 15,600 sq. km
• Population around 17,000. Russians, Ainus and
  others
• Disputed area 4,640 sq. km with exclusive
  economic zone of 196,000 sq.km
• The most disputed islands Kunashiri and Etorofu

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The Most Relevant International Legal Acts till
1914

• THE TREATY OF COMMERCE, NAVIGATION AND
  DELIMITATION ( SHIMODA TREATY, 1855 )
• Henceforth the boundary between the two states
  shall lie between islands of Etorofu and Uruppu.
  The whole of Etorofu shall belong to Japan and
  the all Kurile Islands, lying to the north of and
  including Uruppu, shall belong to Russia. Island
  of Skhalin will be common possession.

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• THE TREATY OF SAINT PETERSBURG ( 1875 )
• Japan gives up all rights to Sakhalin in
  exchange for Russia giving up all rights to all
  Kurile Islands.
• THE TREATY OF PORTSMOUTH ( 1905 )
• Russia transfers all rights to southern half
  of Sakhalin Island to Japan.

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• SOON AFTER OCTOBER REVOLUTION (1917) JAPAN
  OCCUPIED NORTHERN HALF OF THE SAKHALIN AND PARTS
  OF THE SOVIET EASTERN SIBERIA
• JAPAN LEFT EASTERN SIBERIA IN 1922 AND NORTHERN
  SAKHALIN IN 1925

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The Most Relevant International Legal Acts After
1936

• RUSSO - JAPANESE TREATY OF NEUTRALITY ( APRIL
  12TH 1941 )
• Stipulated territorial integrity of the
  contracting paties and neutrality in the case of
  war of one contracting partiy against a third
  country or countries.
• CAIRO DECLARATION ( DECEMBER 1ST 1943 )
• Determination of USA, Great Britain and China
  to deprive Japan of all territories it had
  acquired by use of force or greed.

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• YALTA AGREEMENT OF THE LEADERS OF USSR, USA AND
  GREAT BRITAIN ( FEBRUARY 11TH 1945 )
• Two, or, three months upon the surrender of
  Germany and the end of war in Europe, Soviet
  Union will enter the war against Japan on the
  side of Allies under conditions that
• 2.a) Southern part of Sakhalin Island
  and its adjacent islands will be returned to the
  Soviet Union,
• 3. Kurile Islands will be transferred
  to the Soviet Union.

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• POTSDAM DECLARATION OF THE LEADERS OF USA, GREAT
  BRITAIN, CHINA AND USSR ( JULY 26TH 1945 )
• Sovereignty of Japan will be limited to the
  islands of Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushyu, Shikoku and
  those minor islands that we determine.
• INSTRUMENT OF SURRENDER ( SEPTEMBER 2ND 1945 )
• Japan is obliged to implement bona fide
  provisions of the Potsdam Declaration

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• SAN FRANCISCO PEACE TREATY ( SEPTEMBER 8TH 1951
  )
• Article 2.(c) Japan renounces all rights,
  titles and clames to the Kurile islands, and to
  that part of Sakhalin and the islands adjacent to
  it over which Japan acquired sovereignty as the
  consequence of the Treaty of Portsmouth of
  September the 5th 1905.