Should Russia return Kuril Islands back to Japan?

[Rumata]

^ Breaking is not enough to prosper, lol. One has to create too.

[Crimean]

I wrote this for a long time, do not judge strictly for mistakes.

Russia will not give up the Kuril Islands for several reasons.
1. For ethical and reputational reasons.
The victory of Soviet Russia over imperial Japan was not just an outstanding event, but also a revenge for the previous conflict. In a speech of the USSR Supreme Commander-in-Chief from 1945, in an official address to the people, Stalin described this fact as follows: "the people of the old generation have been waiting for this day for a long time, and finally, the shame of defeat in the Russo-Japanese war, the black spot on state history is washed away."

In 1956, a final declaration was made, which has since become the main basis for all current Japanese claims and the Kremlin’s headache. It is noteworthy that it stemmed from the same root from which the entire recent situation had arisen with the need to return the Crimea peninsula ...

By that time, instead of an authoritative and respected person around the world, Nikita Khrushchev came to power, who began to distribute "gifts" to all the sponsors who chose him. One of these personal "gestures" of the new leader was the transfer of the Crimean peninsula from the subordination of the RSFSR to the hands of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, the second - a statement on the conclusion of a peace treaty with Japan, on unfavorable conditions.

In the agreement, it was spelled out by the hands of the Americans that the number of the Kuril Islands torn away from Japan following the Second World War was not specifically determined. Later, this allowed the Japanese to say that, according to the agreement, Japan abandoned an indefinite number of islands in favor of a third force, however, since it does not indicate to whom exactly they are going as a result of the conflict and we face the juridical paradox here.

And therefore, they introduce a new geographical term and call all the islands that departed from it - "Northern Territories". Since it is not determined in whose favor these lands were transferred, by the right of the previous owner they remain Japanese for Japan. For the most part, this was an explanation for domestic use, but this is precisely how the Americans supported an element of hostility against the Soviets in Japan and thus did not allow Tokyo and Moscow to come closer together.

It is not difficult to guess that, taking advantage of the talent of the new leader of the USSR, the USA immediately transferred to Japan the “correct” list of requirements for the USSR, and negotiations were proposed to be held directly in London. Preparing for a long intrigue and a difficult game, the Anglo-Saxons were waiting for a diplomatic battle, but instead everything went completely wrong. Right in the course of the “battle” for the delegation from Moscow, Khrushchev sent a personal order to immediately agree to transfer the two islands to Japan, if the result is a peace treaty.

In other words, while Soviet diplomats were subtly appealing with promises of assistance for Japan to join the UN, return convicts, abandon all reparations in favor of our country, and successfully promoted Tokyo to dialogue, Khrushchev made another personal “move”. As a result, the delegation had no choice but to sign precisely this version of the declaration, which stated that Soviet Russia was obliged to transfer Habomai and Shikotan to Japan, but only after the conclusion of a peace treaty.

Ironically, the United States saved the country from small treason. The warming in relations between Japan and the USSR was extremely unprofitable for the Americans, and therefore the Japanese were forbidden to implement it. In fact, it was Washington that made Tokyo refuse to implement the declaration, which had already been signed and ratified by both Japan and Moscow. Today, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is trying to enter the same door a second time, but fortunately, Russia's approach has changed radically.

In addition, the rejection of sovereignty over part of the Russian territories suffers huge economic losses. So, since the signing of the declaration in 1956, for over 60 years lots of significant changes have taken place in International Law. Including, in 1977, a clause on 200-mile economic zones was introduced. Since then, the return of any of the Kuril Islands means the automatic transfer of huge nearby water areas.

And if we take into account that in fact we are not talking about two symbolic islands, but about a separate Shikotan island with an area of ​​225 square kilometers and 19 small islands of the “Habomai archipelago” with 5 cliffs and a total area of ​​100 square meters. km., then the exclusion zones, counted from the extreme points of these territories, will occupy a colossal space - they will turn into personal economic zones of Japan, instead of Russian ones. And this despite the fact that the water area around the Kuril ridge is literally crammed with all kinds of resources and minerals, and in addition, it is a defense line.

2. Strategic and military reasons.
The Kuril Islands are a key pillar of Russia's defense against the American Pacific Fleet, while the strait between them and the mainland is its strategic asset. It is no coincidence that, contrary to all the indignation of Japan and the USA, two years earlier the unique Ball and Bastion anti-naval defense systems were “housed” on them, aimed at the ships of the US 7th Fleet.

In addition, the Kuril Islands are a “barrier” at the entrance to the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, while the transfer of any of them is the key to this “door”. As long as Russia owns all the islands of the Kuril Ridge, the Sea of ​​Okhotsk is considered the inland sea of ​​Russia, when any of them are transferred to Japan, the Sea of ​​Okhotsk will be given international status, which means it will need to be divided and opened. In addition, the Kuril belonging to anyone else will automatically make the exit of the ships of the Pacific Fleet of the Russian Federation a big problem. Just like the problem for another fleet of our country is the Bosporus and Dardanelles, which allow NATO to create problems for the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

In addition, do not forget about internal causes. The transfer of some of the islands to Japan in the political sense will mean for the President of Russia a direct path to the disintegration of the country, while until then, Russia's foreign policy has always been based on integration and purposeful expansion of influence. In domestic politics, where the power of the head of state is legislatively, constitutionally, and apparatusively limited by the capabilities of other functionaries, there really were disintegration actions, but in the external arena, where the president’s power is almost absolute, there is definitely not.