Mino Monta

TBS clarifies Mino Monta’s remark that Japan should buy back Northern Territories

Thursday 09th April, 04:00 AM JST

TOKYO —

Representatives from television broadcaster TBS say that Mino Monta’s remark concerning the Northern Territories made during his morning program “Mino Monta’s Asazuba!” was inappropriate but was made in jest.

Monta, 64, was discussing the Russian president’s upcoming visit to Japan in May and the depressed state of the Russian economy, when he quipped to one of the panelists that Japan should offer to buy back the four islands. None of the panelists replied and all of them kept their heads down. The islands are currently under Russian administration but Japan claims them as its own.

TBS said that they didn’t receive any phone calls or emails concerning the remark.

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Latest 15 of 28 Total Comments Show All

northlondon at 01:39 PM JST - 9th April

The Kuriles belong to Russia, Takeshima is Korean territory, and China will take what it wants from the East China Sea

So you're expert the when it comes to territorial issues in world history then are you ? All of the above-quoted (and with anti-Japanese sentiment) territories that you have mentioned are just the same as trying to prove that Australia now belongs to the white immigrants, the Falkland Islands belong to the UK and part of the Cuban Islands belong to the US. There may be an argument for the Koreans to claim Takeshima. But the Russians stole the Northern Territories by sneaking in at the end of the Second World War and they have no rightful claim to them, other than they had much bigger guns at the time.

Moderator: Readers, posts that do not refer to Monta's remarks will be removed. References to other territorial disputes are, of course, irrelevant.
Yelnats at 02:22 PM JST - 9th April

They put their heads down. They would make a great jury.
MASSWIPE at 02:30 PM JST - 9th April

This is the second time in the last month that a public figure in Japan has "joked" about buying foreign territory (Ichiro Ozawa said the same about Jeju Island, given the strength of the Japanese yen vis-a-vis the Korean won). Do elitist Japanese think this is funny? Or is it a sign of an emasculated nation that can only express power projection in terms of yen?

I seriously doubt Mino Monta would've said something like this last year, when Russia was flying high with oil at nearly $150 a barrel. Yet another example of a public figure in Japan turning arrogant and presumptuous when a perceived rival looks weak. I guess you could call it "selective modesty."
Coolasapool at 05:48 PM JST - 9th April

TBS said that they didn’t receive any phone calls or emails concerning the remark.

because it makes perfect sense.
ThonTaddeo at 09:22 PM JST - 9th April

If these four islands are gong to be returned to somebody, theyshould be given back to the Ainu, who lived there for centuries before the Japanese came along. Is this another of those "we stole them fair and square" gambits?
BigHitHappyBody at 10:17 PM JST - 9th April

The Russians many years ago did sell Alaska to the USA so this is not beyond the realm of possibility, although not very likely in todays world!
LoveUSA at 11:55 PM JST - 9th April

Atually Mino is quite realistic. There is no other possible way to get the islands except buying them. Russia offered to Japan to divide the islands between each other several years ago, but Jn refused.
OssanAmerica at 05:08 AM JST - 10th April

So what's the big deal? Monta stated that the islands should be purchased. What's wrong with that? In a financial transaction both parties benefit. It's not like he suggesting invading and occupying.
OssanAmerica at 05:10 AM JST - 10th April

If these four islands are gong to be returned to somebody, theyshould be >given back to the Ainu, who lived there for centuries before the >Japanese came along.

And before that there were people of the Ohotsk culture who inhabited them centuries before the Ainu. How far back do you want to take this?
cadmium at 12:08 PM JST - 10th April

Mino Monta himself should buy the islands back! Apparently with all of his TV appearances and radio shows he was pulling in about 600 million yen a year for god knows how many years (that's more than the emperor gets!). Unless he's been drinking and partying it all away, he's easily one of the richest people in Japan.
northlondon at 12:57 PM JST - 10th April

TBS said that they didn’t receive any phone calls or emails concerning the remark.

I just called them but they didn't speak English.
Badsey at 03:38 PM JST - 10th April

Buy back the islands! -or you must wait for the next war.

-buying them back is cheaper. Start raising the funds publically now and hopefully the oil prices keep falling. Goal 1yr.

It can be done and in a recession people need goals.
ThonTaddeo at 07:29 PM JST - 10th April

And before that there were people of the Ohotsk culture who inhabited them centuries before the Ainu. How far back do you want to take this?

Looks like we Ainu will be the ones taking up the "we stole them fair and square" gambit then!

(Still, I don't know much about the Ainu forcibly taking anything from any of the people who lived there before them -- the Ainu were never much militarily. Could be wrong though.)
memyselfI at 10:02 PM JST - 10th April

Isn't he the embassador for tokyo olympic commitee ?
frontandcentre at 12:42 PM JST - 13th April

I suppose it was "inappropriate" because just like the Fuji presenter who implied that Sumo is sometimes fixed (which anyone with a knowledge of Japanese culture and a basic understanding of statistics would conclude that it is) he was verging into a controversial area. Frankly, it's a good idea - a bit like when the U.S. bought Alaska from Russia. Reason for the controversy? It would be like admitting defeat on a matter of principle. Nationalists don't want that - and could Japanese diplomats ever negotiate a face-saving deal, even if Russia was interested? Probably not