Premier Renews Call for Russia to Return Islands
Japan’s prime minister vowed to push Russia to return four islands and end a decades-long dispute preventing a peace treaty formally ending World War II.
“We must make it clear that the four islands belong to us,” Junichiro Koizumi told an annual government-organized rally. “But we shouldn’t be impatient. We should continue our negotiations patiently.”
The islands, which Moscow calls the Kurils and Tokyo identifies as the Northern Territories, were seized by the Soviet Union at the end of the war. Japan claims the move was illegal.
More to Read
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
