Japan’s sovereignty extends to the South Kuril Islands, new Prime Minister Fumio Kisida told lawmakers on Tuesday.
“The sovereignty of our country extends to the northern territories (the Japanese name of the Southern Kurils),” the prime minister said. “We must address this issue, not leave it to future generations. The government intends to sign a peace treaty with Russia, which addresses the issue of the sovereignty of these islands. ”
The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly stated that Russia’s sovereignty over these territories is enshrined in international law and cannot be challenged, TASS reports.