Russia releases five Japanese fishing boats seized off Hokkaido
Russia on Tuesday released five Japanese fishing boats seized in waters near Russian-held, Japan-claimed islands in mid-December. The release came after the crews of the boats paid a fine of some 6.4 million rubles (¥11 million) ordered by a Russian court Monday for violating regulations ...
Japanese tourists' trial tour of Russian-held islands off Hokkaido begins
Japanese tourists on Wednesday began a visit to two disputed Russian-held islands off Hokkaido, as part of joint economic activities by the Japanese and Russian governments that are intended to build trust. The five-day trial tour by 44 people including government officials will take participants ...
Japan to conduct trial tour to Russian-held isles from Wednesday
A trial sightseeing tour to two of four Russian-held islands off Hokkaido at the center of a decadeslong territorial row between Tokyo and Moscow will take place between Wednesday and Oct. 16, the Japanese government has said. Around 50 Japanese nationals will participate in the ...
Japan protests Russia's plans for live-fire military drills off disputed Kunashiri island
Plans by the Russian military to hold live-fire exercises off the disputed Northern Territories prompted a rebuke by Tokyo late last week, the chief government spokesman said Monday. The drills are planned for waters around Kunashiri, a land mass that is clearly visible from the ...
Hokkaido Museum surveying disputed Russian-held isles in bid to save Japanese artifacts
The Hokkaido Museum in Sapporo has been surveying historical artifacts on the four Russian-held isles claimed by Japan through a bilateral arrangement that lets Japanese former residents make visa-free visits. Hiroshi Ushiro, the chief curator, used the program to make visits from 2005 through 2018 ...
Japan files protest with Russia over planned shooting practice near disputed island off Hokkaido
Japan lodged a protest over a planned Russian shooting exercise in waters near one of the four islands off Hokkaido that are at the center of a bilateral territorial dispute, the Japanese government said Thursday. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference the ...
Economic study group wraps up first tour of disputed isles off Hokkaido
A group of government officials and private-sector experts concluded their first economic study of the four disputed islands off Hokkaido, saying possibilities had been spotted for joint activity with the Russians. "I am seeing big potential for future development," said tour leader Eiichi Hasegawa, a ...
First visitation flight to disputed isles off Hokkaido canceled over poor weather
Two days of bad weather forced the cancellation Monday of what was to have been the first chartered flight by former residents to visit Kunashiri and Etorofu, two of the four Russia-held islands off northeastern Hokkaido claimed by Japan. About 70 people, including government officials ...
Moscow says missile deployment on disputed isles should not hurt Russia-Japan relations
The deployment of Russian missile systems on the Kuril Islands should not influence efforts to settle a long-running territorial dispute between Moscow and Tokyo over the islands, the Kremlin said. Russian media reported on Tuesday that the Bastion and Bal anti-ship missile systems were now ...
Russia deploys anti-ship missiles on disputed isles off Hokkaido
The Russian Navy’s Pacific Fleet deploys state-of-the-art missile systems on two disputed islands also claimed by Japan.
A Japanese man who was questioned by authorities on Russian-held Kunashiri Island has been cleared to return home, Japan's Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. The interpreter had been kept on the island, one of four off Hokkaido that are claimed by Japan, during a visit under ...
A Japanese salmon boat and its 11 crew members seized by Russian authorities July 17 for alleged illegal fishing will return home Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo said Monday. The Russian Foreign Ministry's Sakhalin office also confirmed its planned return on Tuesday. A local court ...
