Japan should keep insisting Russia 'illegally occupies' isles: Maehara

Sunday 18th October, 03:36 AM JST

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smithinjapan at 11:01 PM JST - 18th October

Yuri: " If they want a market they need to give up our northern territories."

That's the point: they're not 'your' territories, they're Russian.

"No Northern territories, no peace."

And? You mean the 'war' that is now raging will continue? :)

"Give in and this and who knows what Russia will demand next."

Who says they'll "demand" something else? It's Japan doing the demanding here, not Russia
palisadez54 at 11:14 PM JST - 18th October

Can anyone please tell me if Japan has any allies in the region besides the U.S.? ...I thought so.
seijichuudo9sha at 11:40 PM JST - 18th October

Maehara sounds like he is Komeito.
mushroomcloud at 11:55 PM JST - 18th October

"Actually, this is not the case. Japan does not meet the definition of a protectorate."

As a response, a quote from the American Foreign Relations website:

The 1951 treaty between the United States and Japan came closest to the old protectorate concept. By its terms the United States could maintain troops in Japan not only to protect that country but also to defend East Asia. United States troops could, at Japanese request, even be used to quash internal disturbances in Japan. When the treaty was revised in 1960, largely one-sided defense provisions were agreed upon. The United States undertook to protect Japan, while Japan undertook to aid the United States only in case of an attack on U.S. forces on Japanese territory. Under this treaty Japan is certainly a protectorate of the United States in a military sense..."

http://www.americanforeignrelations.com/O-W/Protectorates-and-Spheres-of-Influence-U-s-protectorates-since-world-war-ii.html
flatearther at 01:49 AM JST - 19th October

I have to agree with YuriOtani in all of his posts. Kick the U.S out of Japan completely and start a war with Russia over the islands! This would be a great idea for Japan to embark upon. I wonder if China's "occupying" any Japanese territory too? Japan should start a war with them while they're at it! It's better than hearing all these irritating comments from politicians who should know better. Sheesh.
YuriOtani at 06:03 AM JST - 19th October

flatearther, in a conventional conflict with Russia Japan would do well but Japan does not want conflict but our northern islands back. The Russian/Soviet is not to be trusted. Why should Japan fund it own demise by trading with the enemy? Give the Americans a bit of credit they were very kind to their defeated enemy. The Russians killed hundreds of thousands of Japanese, committed ethic cleansing of our northern territories, rape, murder. About American bases, most Okinawa people would be happy to relocated most of the Marine bases off island but that is not part of this story. If a side has to influence Japan, would rather have the Americans. They are really an honorable country. Japan wants a equable settlement to the war. Russian gets a lot more territory than the 4 small islands. All they have to do is turn over these islands for a peace treaty, very simple.
flatearther at 06:48 AM JST - 19th October

@YuriOtani-Thank you for at least admitting the truth for once, that America is an honorable country.
As far as the islands are concerned, Japan should let this issue be. You could not conduct a successful war with Russia, you simply do not have the resources. Even though their military is currently pathetic compared to it's prior glory, they are still far too formidable for Japan. Baiting a sleeping bear with this issue is a really awful idea, and your minister should know this! Please forgive me if you take offense, but your politicians seem to speak off the cuff far too often. It's one thing to make an asinine comment about domestic issues, but insulting the country of Russia is another thing entirely! Especially after you have already/currently insulted your military ally, America.
I'm sorry, but I really don't understand Japan's strategy here, it seems like suicidal folly. You insult America, tell us to leave Okinawa, you insult Russia (knowing that they're a proud country that holds grudges for a long time and has a military far better equipped than your SDF) over some tiny rocks. Please explain how this will benefit your country.
mushroom at 12:03 PM JST - 19th October

A Sicilian criminal genius once said, "Never get involved in a land war in Asia."
YuriOtani at 09:01 AM JST - 20th October

flatearther, Japanese hold grudges for a long time as well. It has been 54 years since the proud Japanese residents were killed, raped and forced off of their ancestral islands. Their descendants are still alive today wondering if they can ever return home. I like Americans for the most part but they are not Russians. To make them like the Russians they would have depopulated Okinawa killing many and sending the rest into an unending exile. Americans are nothing like Russians and perhaps I am overly harsh with my Okinawa posts. Oh Japan would never invade Russia, just shoot down its air force, sink its navy and force them to make peace. The key is Russia would have to fire the first shot. The peaceful nation of Japan would never start such a conflict.
spudman at 09:08 AM JST - 20th October

Historically speaking the longer Russia has the isles the less Japan's claim will have merit. Japan should take the loss of these islands as a lesson in choosing allies like Hitler and Mussolini. Talk about ethnic cleaning. Get over your lost battles Japan your plaintive whining is unbecoming.
kumasan1969 at 05:31 AM JST - 22nd October

ridiculous.

Both countries should just sit down and present objective and hard facts to look into, and see if doing so would bring them to an agreement. Make available all of those information to the public, not just from one side.

If that doesn't solve the problem, laugh at it, it is just an unfortunate double-booking issue like we have with Korea and China. If the hard evidences say that they can be interpreted both ways, then whoever occupies the land right now owns the land. As simple as that, let's move on. We have been doing ok without them for how long?
Klein2 at 02:09 PM JST - 24th October

"The US position is wonderful as always. They wanted the USSR to enter the Pacific war. The USSR agreed on the condition to get those islands. The Soviets entered the Pacific war and the war was over."

How about this?

"The US position is wonderful as always. They wanted the USSR to enter the Pacific war. Then they didn't. The Soviets entered the Pacific war after the war was over."

There. That's more like it.
LoveUSA at 02:15 PM JST - 24th October

"The US position is wonderful as always. They wanted the USSR to enter the Pacific war. Then they didn't. The Soviets entered the Pacific war after the war was over."There. That's more like it.

Rewriting history suits the ego of the person who creates the myths.
Klein2 at 02:19 PM JST - 24th October

What is with all this bullying about "Japan should do this and do that....Japan's claims have no merit... etc." How about acknowledging that Japanese people can feel however they want to about this? Sheesh. Give them that. Go read Wikipedia and figure out the claims for yourself, for heaven's sake. Go to Googlemaps and look at the fait accompli that Japan contends with. I dare anyone to do it without taking a side, although I assure you it is most enlightening if you do so.

Japan is willing to go to the mat for this, so let em be. Alternatively, Japan chooses to remain irritated about this forever, which is still their choice. I am willing to bet that not one poster here is from a country that is so aggrieved in a territorial dispute as Yuri Otani, except maybe Rkumar, with the Kashmir thing (?).

So let em go. This "Russia will squash Japan like an ant." stuff is as nonsensical as believing that Japan would ever actually attack Russia.
0letstalk at 04:21 PM JST - 24th October

It is the law of war. When Japan won Russo-Japanese war, they took Russian territories. When Russians won the war, they took Japanese territories. Do not see a problem. Japan has a problem with playing according to the rules. They shouldn't have started to "play" at all if they do not like the rules. But they did and they lost. Russian are actually the only one who showed Japanese that rules are the same for everybody and they took something that was originally Japanese. Well done.