The Kuril Islands are a chain of volcanic islands that lie between Kamchatka in Russia and Hokkaido, Japan. These islands today are administered by Russia but originally belonged to Japan. Today, Japan has claims to the southernmost Kurils such as Kunashir (Kunashiri), Iturup (Etorufu), Shikotan and Habomai Islands. These are also known as The Northern Territories.

Habomai Islands

http://artedi.fish.washington.edu/okhotskia/ikip/Gallery/Map/South/Zeli/1326-003.jpg

http://artedi.fish.washington.edu/okhotskia/ikip/Gallery/Map/South/Zeli/1326-017.jpg

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http://artedi.fish.washington.edu/okhotskia/ikip/Gallery/Map/South/Zeli/1226-007.jpg

Shikotan

http://artedi.fish.washington.edu/okhotskia/ikip/Gallery/Map/South/Shik/1121-006.JPG

http://artedi.fish.washington.edu/okhotskia/ikip/Gallery/Map/South/Shik/1121-023.JPG

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http://artedi.fish.washington.edu/okhotskia/ikip/Gallery/Map/South/Shik/1121-091.JPG

Kunashir

http://artedi.fish.washington.edu/okhotskia/ikip/Gallery/Map/South/Kunash/1111-029.JPG

http://artedi.fish.washington.edu/okhotskia/ikip/Gallery/Map/South/Kunash/1211-032.jpg

http://artedi.fish.washington.edu/okhotskia/ikip/Gallery/Map/South/Kunash/1111-039.JPG

http://artedi.fish.washington.edu/okhotskia/ikip/Gallery/Map/South/Kunash/1111-007.JPG

Iturup

http://artedi.fish.washington.edu/okhotskia/ikip/Gallery/Map/South/Itur/Itpan.JPG

http://artedi.fish.washington.edu/okhotskia/ikip/Gallery/Map/South/Itur/1208-034.jpg

http://artedi.fish.washington.edu/okhotskia/ikip/Gallery/Map/South/Itur/IT-637.JPG

http://artedi.fish.washington.edu/okhotskia/ikip/Gallery/Map/South/Itur/IT-691.JPG

Japan's geography has its rather fair share of diversity!

The Kuril Islands are a chain of volcanic islands that lie between Kamchatka in Russia and Hokkaido, Japan. These islands today are administered by Russia but originally belonged to Japan. Today, Japan has claims to the southernmost Kurils such as Kunashir (Kunashiri), Iturup (Etorufu), Shikotan and Habomai Islands. These are also known as The Northern Territories

Uh, no. They originally (and legally, still do) belong to the Kurile Ainu inhabitants, who lived there for perhaps 10,000 years. Because Ainu representatives never formally ceded the islands to the Russians or the Japanese, they still, legally, hold title, just like with Hokkaido. Ever wonder why the Japanese government refuses to acknowledge that the Ainu are indigenous to Hokkaido and the Kuriles? That's why.

It's the same kind of thing you claim in your signature, WANCH: "it's HONG KONG, not HONG KONG, CHINA."

Have a nice day!

but Russian now control kurile and sakalhin island and not so long ago Japanese innocent fisher man was killed by Russian patrol boat last year

if they was under japan control it would have been better at least they would be prosper and well developed like rest of japan, under russia they end up like north korea

but Russian now control kurile and sakalhin island and not so long ago Japanese innocent fisher man was killed by Russian patrol boat last year

if they was under japan control it would have been better at least they would be prosper and well developed like rest of japan, under russia they end up like north korea
I dont know exactly how he got killed in this accident, but their boat was fishing illegaly in our coastal area. These fishermen are very cheeky, they try to escape to Japanese waters even when warning shots are fired by our naval patrols. Its all politics anyways, who would want to give up the huge fishing area and with potentialy big reserves of gas/oil and other natural resources on the continental shelf? There is a big federal investment program into the Kuriles that has recently started, plans are to build roads, airport, ports , fishing industry objects etc.

I dont know exactly how he got killed in this accident, but their boat was fishing illegaly in our coastal area. These fishermen are very cheeky, they try to escape to Japanese waters even when warning shots are fired by our naval patrols. Its all politics anyways, who would want to give up the huge fishing area and with potentialy big reserves of gas/oil and other natural resources on the continental shelf? There is a big federal investment program into the Kuriles that has recently started, plans are to build roads, airport, ports , fishing industry objects etc.

oh right well either way as long as thier is investment and development doesnt matter who controls it Japan or Russia

That's beautiful!!!!!

I like the mountain in these photos

Beautiful photos! It reminds me of Batanes Islands in the Philippines. :)

Fanatsy island ^_^..

i really love those photos. Wanch, did you actually go there or did you find the pics somewhere else? i want to visit... as an Australian citizen i think i can, but arranging the process and transport is difficult i've heard.

i really love those photos. Wanch, did you actually go there or did you find the pics somewhere else? i want to visit... as an Australian citizen i think i can, but arranging the process and transport is difficult i've heard.

I found these photos at a site about a group of Japanese, Russian and American geologists that visited The Kuriles for research.

I have been to Japan but not these islands. You will need an extra visa from The Russian consulate to visit The Kuriles.

I think Japan should take back all its land that was grabbed by the Soviets they are much more prosperous under Japanese control

^^ We already had this discussion above :weird:

sakalhin island belong to china before . russia take up 1.5million kms land which belong to china before.

Yet another remarkable hilarypuff post.

sakalhin island belong to china before . russia take up 1.5million kms land which belong to china before.

Sakhalin belonged to the Ainus, Nivkhs and Oroks.. long before the Chinese, Russians or Japanese ever claimed those islands. In addition this is the Kurile Islands! which China has no association with at all.

Beautiful and not very well known areas there. Great pics!

it's a really creepy-looking place if you ask me, someone should film a movie there

Here's a documentary I found on Youtube about The Kuril Islands. I decided to place a link since the video is over 20 mins

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G8-oMYHo7k

Another video on The Kurils

Du1dEy2KN4w

what are the chances now we a resurgent russia of settling this issue in japans favor.

Why should we give up our land? :dunno:

because it was originally Japanese until the end of the second world war.

because it was originally Japanese until the end of the second world war.
I can see why the Japanese want the islands so bad, there is lots of fish and also potentially oil/gas deposits. Also, they think they have some claims to it because they used to administer when it was a Japanese colony. However, Russia also has a long history in the region. Look at what happened to many borders in Europe after WW2, yet, Germany does not demand lands back from Poland for example

I don't think that it is solved even if the territorial issue is discussed here.

There are so many places in the world we'll never get to see. I believe this is probably one of mine, and that's a shame.

Why does the Russian occupy it to the Orient?
Please return land to Ainu race (japan).
karafuto & chishima
Russia must return Vladivostok and land of Khabarovsk to China.

Why does the Russian occupy it to the Orient?
Please return land to Ainu race (japan).
karafuto & chishima
Russia must return Vladivostok and land of Khabarovsk to China.

Vladivostok was founded by Russians in 1859, one year after the (unequal) Treaty of Aigun was signed between Russia and China. This happened some years before Japan officially annexed Okinawa (1879). Shouldn't Tokyo then return Okinawa to the Ryukyu race? Shouldn't the US return most of its territory to the various Native American tribes that still live in the region? Shouldn't Turkey return its half of Cyprus? Shouldn't Cameroon hand back Bakassi to Nigeria? Bukit Jeli between Malaysia and Thailand? I could literally list hundreds of territorial disputes and discrepancies.

We have a saying in the US: "possession is 9/10ths the law." I am very sympathetic to Japan in this situation, but the fact remains that Russia possesses the Kurils. And I know (and also agree) with Tokyo's stance that the Northern Territories aren't actually part of the Kurils, but again . . . possession is 9/10ths the law. In this case, Japan is just out of luck.

because it was originally Japanese until the end of the second world war.

And while Japan surrendered on August 15th, Russians kept on invading into disarmed Japan until mid-September and occupied the islands.

Shouldn't Tokyo then return Okinawa to the Ryukyu race?

okinawan is the Japanese.
so is the Ryukyu race. you mean the okinawan independence?

Do you think that Okinawa islands only returned ?
What did theOkinawan think at that time?
at least, okinawan came back to Japan in 70'with their intention
I think Okinawa should become independent
(ishigaki, miyako, yonaguni.. are not included)
then there is no reason for US troops to stay in okinawa.
okinawan can get them away...because okinawa is not Japan any more.
after that. I think Japan and Okinawa should establish federate nations.

It is also interesting to ask it Taiwan.

If a person of Okinawa wants to become independent, I do not object.
Please travel and look.
The person in Okinawa doesn't want to become independent. :ohno:
My elder sister's master is a person in Okinawa.

russia for a country that blasted western imperialism, is among the last imperialists nations in the world...