Ukrainian parliament recognizes Russian-held islands as Japanese territory
Ukraine’s parliament has arbitrarily adopted a resolution recognizing Japan’s claim to two disputed, Russian-held islands referred to by Tokyo as Northern Territories.
The merely political measure by the parliament in Ukraine, which is currently at war with Russia, was passed on Friday by the country’s legislators, who then issued a statement calling on the international community to take "all possible measures" to legally register the status of the islands as Japanese territory.
The Japanese government claims the islands are an inherent part of Japan's territory, insisting that they were illegally occupied after World War Two.
The Kuril Islands chain separates the North Pacific Ocean from the Sea of Okhotsk. On one side is Japan's Hokkaido Island and on the other is the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia's Far East.
Ownership of the four islands (Kunashir, Iturup, Shikotan and Habomai) has been a matter of dispute since the Second World War
The lawmakers urged the United Nations, the European Parliament and other international organizations to provide consistent support and take action to establish Japan’s sovereignty to the disputed islands.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also declared in a video message on Friday that he has signed the relevant decree confirming Kiev’s respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Japan, including the Northern Territories.
"Russia has no right to these territories. Everyone in the world knows this well. And we must finally act," Zelensky said.
Japan, along with Western nations -- led by the US -- has imposed sanctions against Russia after it began a “special military operation” in Ukraine, justifying the move as a security measure stemming from escalating military moves near its borders by the US-led NATO military alliance as well as plans to further expand eastward.
Observers, meanwhile, view the legislative scheme by Kiev as a collaborative effort with Tokyo to step up pressure against Moscow.
Japan’s late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made promising efforts to resolve the dispute over the islands with Russian President Vladimir Putin but Moscow abruptly suspended peace treaty talks with Tokyo after Japan joined its Western allies in imposing anti-Russia sanctions after the eruption of the Ukraine conflict.
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