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RUSSIA-JAPAN RELATIONS
Chronicle of the major political events of Russia-Japan on Kuril Islands in 1945−2010

February, 1945
 — The Crimean (Yalta) agreement between three great powers (USA, Great Britain, the USSR). On the questions of the Far East: the decision to return South Sakhalin and Kuril Islands to the Soviet Union. The Crimean agreement provided that "The leaders of three great powers — the Soviet Union, USA and Great Britain — had agreed that two or three months after Germany's surrender and the end of the war in Europe the Soviet Union entered to the war against Japan on the side of the Allies on conditions: a) return the southern part of Sakhalin Island and all bordering islands to the Soviet Union; b) transfer Kuril Islands to the Soviet Union.

August, 1945 — battles on the Northern Kuril Islands. The landing of the Soviet troops on Shumshu and Paramushir.

August 28 — September 5, 1945 — landing operation on the Southern Kuril Islands.

September 2, 1945 — the signing of the act of unconditional surrender of Japan. The unconditional surrender meant the dismantling of military and political structures of the Japanese state, the termination of its powers, as well as partial loss of its sovereignty. According to the decision of the Allied powers all Kuril Islands were withdrawn from the sovereignty of Japan. There was a dismantling of the state that existed in Japan until September 2, 1945. The new state in Japan, and in its new borders was created in the postwar period under the supervision of the victorious powers. It was a product of post-war reality.

June 5, 1946 — the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on the formation of new districts in the Sakhalin region, including the Yuzhno-Kurilsk district.

1951 — the San Francisco Peace Treaty.
Japan renounced "all rights, titles and claims on Kuril Islands and on the part of Sakhalin Island and bordering islands, the sovereignty over which Japan acquired by the Portsmouth Treaty of September 5, 1905".
So, Japan really and legally renounced all Kuril Islands and South Sakhalin in 1951.

1956 — Soviet-Japanese declaration on the restoration of diplomatic relations. The Declaration was ratified by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the Government of Japan, December 8, 1956 as an international treaty entered into force on December 12, 1956. The declaration noted the termination of the legal state of war between the USSR and Japan, the establishment of diplomatic and consular relations, the need for development of cooperation.

In the declaration noted that the Soviet Union agreed to transfer Japan the islands of the Small (Lesser) Kuril Ridge (Habomai and Shikotan) after signing the peace treaty. However, this declaration had contradict — the parties did not consider that a return of at least Shikotan against refusal of Japan from Kuril islands in the San Francisco Peace Treaty, as this island was included in the archipelago according to decree of the Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs of Japan, № 1 for 1885.

1973
 — Soviet-Japanese joint declaration.
This declaration was signed by the Chairman of the Soviet Council of Ministers of the USSR A.N. Kosygin and Foreign Minister A.A. Gromyko, and the Japanese — Japanese Prime Minister K. Tanaka and Foreign Minister A. Ohira. The statement stressed that the settlement of outstanding issues left over from World War II, and conclude the peace treaty will contribute to the establishment of truly good-neighborly and friendly relations between both countries. In addition to the Joint Statement of the Foreign Ministers of both countries have been signed:
  • Agreement between the Government of the Soviet Union and the Japanese government on scientific and technical cooperation;
  • Letters on the exchange of scientists and researchers, the distribution of information materials on the exchange of the official printed editions;
  • The Convention between the Government of Japan and the USSR on the protection of migratory birds and endangered birds, and its habitats.

April, 1989
 — the first official visit of the Japanese journalists by the Foreign Ministry of the USSR in the Yuzhno-Kurilsk district.

August, 1990 — B.N. Yeltsin, the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet, visited Kunashir.
1991 — the Soviet President M.S. Gorbachev visited Japan.
It was the first visit of the supreme leader of the Soviet state to Japan in the history of Russian-Japanese and Soviet-Japanese relations.

April 18, 1991 — the signing of the Joint Soviet-Japanese declaration.
This declarationt has been signed between the Soviet President M.S. Gorbachev and the Prime Minister of Japan Toshiki Kaifu. The joint statement contained an agreement on the visit by Russian citizens, living on the islands of the Small (Lesser) Kuril Ridge, Kunashir and Iturup, of the parts of Japan and the Japanese citizens on the islands without passports and visas.
It was also signed by 15 Soviet-Japanese documents, including:
  • Memorandum of the Soviet-Japanese intergovernmental consultations;
  • Memorandum of relations and cooperation between the USSR and Japan in the field of cultural heritage;
  • Agreement on cooperation in environmental protection among the USSR Government and the Government of Japan and some other bilateral documents.

October 14, 1991 — exchange letters of the Foreign Ministers of the USSR and Japan, which determined the procedure for visa-free exchanges.
April, 1992 - the first visa-free exchange between Russia and Japan.

October 11, 1993 – the visit of Russian President B.N. Yeltsin to Japan.

October 13, 1993 – the signing of the Tokyo Declaration on Russian-Japanese relations.

The Tokyo Declaration recorded intention of the parties to cooperate in matters of creation a new international order and complete normalization of Russian-Japanese relations, expand political dialogue, especially at the highest level, deepen cooperation in the field of disarmament, to develop dialogue on the problems of Asia-Pacific region.

There were also signed:
  • Declaration on the prospects of trade-economic and scientific-technical relations between Russia and Japan;
  • Memorandum of expanding exchanges between Russia and Japan in cultural and other fields;
  • Memorandum on the implementation of free travel of citizens of the Russian Federation and Japan in each other's territory;
  • Memorandum on the providing Japanese emergency humanitarian aid to the Russian Federation and other documents.

November 27, 1994 - the establishment of the Russian-Japanese Intergovernmental Commission on trade and economic issues.
The establishment of this Commission took an important role in the coordination of bilateral economic cooperation between Russia and Japan.

February 21, 1998 – the signing of Fishing Agreement.
This Agreement states that the parties had to cooperate in order to catch of living resources by Japanese fishing vessels off the islands of the Small (Lesser) Kuril Ridge, Iturup and Kunashir, as well as the conservation, rational use and reproduction of living resources on these islands.

November 13, 1998 – the signing of the Moscow Declaration on Establishing Partnership between Russia and Japan.
The Moscow Declaration contained: visa-free entry to the Southern Kuril Islands for the Japanese citizens, Japan's provision of humanitarian aid to the residents of the islands, calls of the Russian authorities to the Japanese business community to invest in the region.

October 24, 1999 – the opening of the House of Friendship between the Russian and the Japanese peoples in Yuzhno-Kurilsk.

September 5, 2000 – the official visit of Russian President V.V. Putin to Japan. Putin talked with I. Mori, focused on such key areas as strategic cooperation in international affairs, development of bilateral economic and trade relations and the peace treaty. For the first time in the history of bilateral relations, the Russian President and the Prime Minister of Japan signed a Joint Statement on cooperation between Russia and Japan in international affairs.

December 7, 2004- the signing of the Executive agreement between the Sakhalin region and Japan.
This Agreement was intended to Japan's aid for economic and social reforms in the Sakhalin region for cooperation between the Sakhalin and the Japanese enterprises, as well as cultural exchanges.

November 2, 2005 - the official visit of Russian President V.V. Putin to Japan.
During the visit, Russia and Japan signed a package of 18 documents on cooperation in combating terrorism, cooperation in the energy field, cooperation in providing assistance in criminal matters and law enforcement measures on simplification of visa regime for mutual trips of citizens and cooperation to prevent and eliminate the consequences of large-scale disasters and catastrophes; on cooperation in the field of information technology and communications; on cooperation in tourism.

March 23, 2006- Russian-Japanese consultation on the harmonization of visa-free exchanges between citizens of Russia, permanently living on the Southern Kuril Islands of the Sakhalin region and the citizens of Japan.
It was the first time for the 14-year history of visa-free exchanges, because of strong suggestion the Sakhalin region, that consultations were held on the Russian territory, but not in Japan.

11 May, 2009 - the visit of the Russian Prime Minister V. Putin to Japan.
During this visit, new progress had been made in the traditional economic and commercial projects. First, it was signed a bilateral agreement on joint exploration of oil reserves in Eastern Siberia. Japan and Russia will conduct joint geological researches, and if find a promising oil field, commercial development, Russia is planning to invite a Japanese oil company to participate in oil production. The Japanese side hopes to import crude oil to the construction Russian oil pipeline in the area of the Pacific Ocean. Second, the agreement on cooperation in nuclear energy was signed. Previously, 15% of nuclear fuel is used by Japan, it was produced in Russia. After the signing of the new agreement, this proportion will increase to 25%. Vladimir Putin also hopes that Japanese companies will increase investment in the Russian automotive industry, telecommunications industry, chemical industry, ferrous metallurgy, machine building and other activities.

November 1, 2010 – the Russian President D.A. Medvedev arrived at Kunashir.
Chronicle of the major political events of Russia-Japan on Kuril Islands in 1945−2010

February, 1945
 — The Crimean (Yalta) agreement between three great powers (USA, Great Britain, the USSR). On the questions of the Far East: the decision to return South Sakhalin and Kuril Islands to the Soviet Union. The Crimean agreement provided that "The leaders of three great powers — the Soviet Union, USA and Great Britain — had agreed that two or three months after Germany's surrender and the end of the war in Europe the Soviet Union entered to the war against Japan on the side of the Allies on conditions: a) return the southern part of Sakhalin Island and all bordering islands to the Soviet Union; b) transfer Kuril Islands to the Soviet Union.

August, 1945 — battles on the Northern Kuril Islands. The landing of the Soviet troops on Shumshu and Paramushir.

August 28 — September 5, 1945 — landing operation on the Southern Kuril Islands.

September 2, 1945 — the signing of the act of unconditional surrender of Japan. The unconditional surrender meant the dismantling of military and political structures of the Japanese state, the termination of its powers, as well as partial loss of its sovereignty. According to the decision of the Allied powers all Kuril Islands were withdrawn from the sovereignty of Japan. There was a dismantling of the state that existed in Japan until September 2, 1945. The new state in Japan, and in its new borders was created in the postwar period under the supervision of the victorious powers. It was a product of post-war reality.

June 5, 1946 — the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on the formation of new districts in the Sakhalin region, including the Yuzhno-Kurilsk district.

1951 — the San Francisco Peace Treaty.
Japan renounced "all rights, titles and claims on Kuril Islands and on the part of Sakhalin Island and bordering islands, the sovereignty over which Japan acquired by the Portsmouth Treaty of September 5, 1905".
So, Japan really and legally renounced all Kuril Islands and South Sakhalin in 1951.

1956 — Soviet-Japanese declaration on the restoration of diplomatic relations. The Declaration was ratified by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the Government of Japan, December 8, 1956 as an international treaty entered into force on December 12, 1956. The declaration noted the termination of the legal state of war between the USSR and Japan, the establishment of diplomatic and consular relations, the need for development of cooperation.

In the declaration noted that the Soviet Union agreed to transfer Japan the islands of the Small (Lesser) Kuril Ridge (Habomai and Shikotan) after signing the peace treaty. However, this declaration had contradict — the parties did not consider that a return of at least Shikotan against refusal of Japan from Kuril islands in the San Francisco Peace Treaty, as this island was included in the archipelago according to decree of the Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs of Japan, № 1 for 1885.

1973
 — Soviet-Japanese joint declaration.
This declaration was signed by the Chairman of the Soviet Council of Ministers of the USSR A.N. Kosygin and Foreign Minister A.A. Gromyko, and the Japanese — Japanese Prime Minister K. Tanaka and Foreign Minister A. Ohira. The statement stressed that the settlement of outstanding issues left over from World War II, and conclude the peace treaty will contribute to the establishment of truly good-neighborly and friendly relations between both countries. In addition to the Joint Statement of the Foreign Ministers of both countries have been signed:
  • Agreement between the Government of the Soviet Union and the Japanese government on scientific and technical cooperation;
  • Letters on the exchange of scientists and researchers, the distribution of information materials on the exchange of the official printed editions;
  • The Convention between the Government of Japan and the USSR on the protection of migratory birds and endangered birds, and its habitats.

April, 1989
 — the first official visit of the Japanese journalists by the Foreign Ministry of the USSR in the Yuzhno-Kurilsk district.

August, 1990 — B.N. Yeltsin, the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet, visited Kunashir.
1991 — the Soviet President M.S. Gorbachev visited Japan.
It was the first visit of the supreme leader of the Soviet state to Japan in the history of Russian-Japanese and Soviet-Japanese relations.

April 18, 1991 — the signing of the Joint Soviet-Japanese declaration.
This declarationt has been signed between the Soviet President M.S. Gorbachev and the Prime Minister of Japan Toshiki Kaifu. The joint statement contained an agreement on the visit by Russian citizens, living on the islands of the Small (Lesser) Kuril Ridge, Kunashir and Iturup, of the parts of Japan and the Japanese citizens on the islands without passports and visas.
It was also signed by 15 Soviet-Japanese documents, including:
  • Memorandum of the Soviet-Japanese intergovernmental consultations;
  • Memorandum of relations and cooperation between the USSR and Japan in the field of cultural heritage;
  • Agreement on cooperation in environmental protection among the USSR Government and the Government of Japan and some other bilateral documents.

October 14, 1991 — exchange letters of the Foreign Ministers of the USSR and Japan, which determined the procedure for visa-free exchanges.
April, 1992 - the first visa-free exchange between Russia and Japan.

October 11, 1993 – the visit of Russian President B.N. Yeltsin to Japan.

October 13, 1993 – the signing of the Tokyo Declaration on Russian-Japanese relations.

The Tokyo Declaration recorded intention of the parties to cooperate in matters of creation a new international order and complete normalization of Russian-Japanese relations, expand political dialogue, especially at the highest level, deepen cooperation in the field of disarmament, to develop dialogue on the problems of Asia-Pacific region.

There were also signed:
  • Declaration on the prospects of trade-economic and scientific-technical relations between Russia and Japan;
  • Memorandum of expanding exchanges between Russia and Japan in cultural and other fields;
  • Memorandum on the implementation of free travel of citizens of the Russian Federation and Japan in each other's territory;
  • Memorandum on the providing Japanese emergency humanitarian aid to the Russian Federation and other documents.

November 27, 1994 - the establishment of the Russian-Japanese Intergovernmental Commission on trade and economic issues.
The establishment of this Commission took an important role in the coordination of bilateral economic cooperation between Russia and Japan.

February 21, 1998 – the signing of Fishing Agreement.
This Agreement states that the parties had to cooperate in order to catch of living resources by Japanese fishing vessels off the islands of the Small (Lesser) Kuril Ridge, Iturup and Kunashir, as well as the conservation, rational use and reproduction of living resources on these islands.

November 13, 1998 – the signing of the Moscow Declaration on Establishing Partnership between Russia and Japan.
The Moscow Declaration contained: visa-free entry to the Southern Kuril Islands for the Japanese citizens, Japan's provision of humanitarian aid to the residents of the islands, calls of the Russian authorities to the Japanese business community to invest in the region.

October 24, 1999 – the opening of the House of Friendship between the Russian and the Japanese peoples in Yuzhno-Kurilsk.

September 5, 2000 – the official visit of Russian President V.V. Putin to Japan. Putin talked with I. Mori, focused on such key areas as strategic cooperation in international affairs, development of bilateral economic and trade relations and the peace treaty. For the first time in the history of bilateral relations, the Russian President and the Prime Minister of Japan signed a Joint Statement on cooperation between Russia and Japan in international affairs.

December 7, 2004- the signing of the Executive agreement between the Sakhalin region and Japan.
This Agreement was intended to Japan's aid for economic and social reforms in the Sakhalin region for cooperation between the Sakhalin and the Japanese enterprises, as well as cultural exchanges.

November 2, 2005 - the official visit of Russian President V.V. Putin to Japan.
During the visit, Russia and Japan signed a package of 18 documents on cooperation in combating terrorism, cooperation in the energy field, cooperation in providing assistance in criminal matters and law enforcement measures on simplification of visa regime for mutual trips of citizens and cooperation to prevent and eliminate the consequences of large-scale disasters and catastrophes; on cooperation in the field of information technology and communications; on cooperation in tourism.

March 23, 2006- Russian-Japanese consultation on the harmonization of visa-free exchanges between citizens of Russia, permanently living on the Southern Kuril Islands of the Sakhalin region and the citizens of Japan.
It was the first time for the 14-year history of visa-free exchanges, because of strong suggestion the Sakhalin region, that consultations were held on the Russian territory, but not in Japan.

11 May, 2009 - the visit of the Russian Prime Minister V. Putin to Japan.
During this visit, new progress had been made in the traditional economic and commercial projects. First, it was signed a bilateral agreement on joint exploration of oil reserves in Eastern Siberia. Japan and Russia will conduct joint geological researches, and if find a promising oil field, commercial development, Russia is planning to invite a Japanese oil company to participate in oil production. The Japanese side hopes to import crude oil to the construction Russian oil pipeline in the area of the Pacific Ocean. Second, the agreement on cooperation in nuclear energy was signed. Previously, 15% of nuclear fuel is used by Japan, it was produced in Russia. After the signing of the new agreement, this proportion will increase to 25%. Vladimir Putin also hopes that Japanese companies will increase investment in the Russian automotive industry, telecommunications industry, chemical industry, ferrous metallurgy, machine building and other activities.

November 1, 2010 – the Russian President D.A. Medvedev arrived at Kunashir.
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