NEMURO, Hokkaido (Kyodo) Seiji Maehara, state minister in charge of the Northern Territories — as the government calls four Russian-held islands off Hokkaido claimed by Japan — said Saturday that Tokyo should keep demanding their return from Russia's "illegal occupation."
"Historically, the Northern Territories are an integral part of Japan. It is literally an illegal occupation (by Russia) and Japan should keep saying so," Maehara told reporters after viewing the islands from a Japan Coast Guard vessel.
Before boarding the boat, Maehara also viewed the islands — Kunashiri, Etorofu, Shikotan and the Habomai islet group — from Cape Nosappu in the city of Nemuro.
"Though faintly, you can see Kunashiri with the naked eye. As a Japanese national, I felt nostalgic," Maehara told reporters.
"Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama intends to resolve the territorial issue. Negotiations (with Russia) will not be easy but we will do our best," he added.
Maehara, also land, infrastructure, transport and tourism minister, arrived in Nemuro on Friday and met with former residents of the islands and Hokkaido Gov. Harumi Takahashi.
In the meeting, the residents called on the government to achieve an early return of the islands, which Russia refers to as the Southern Kurils. Maehara, meanwhile, revealed he intends to visit the islands after next spring.
Earlier this year, the Diet passed a bill declaring the islands to be an integral part of Japan. Then Prime Minister Taro Aso called Russia's occupation illegal, sparking protests from Moscow.
The Soviet Union seized the four islands just before the end of World War II. After occupying them, the Soviet Union declared they were part of its territories in February 1946 and all Japanese residents were forced to leave by 1949.
The dispute has prevented Japan and Russia from concluding a peace treaty to formally end the war.