By Laurenz Gehrke and Allison Fedirka
Russian and Japanese officials are preparing for March 14 talks in Tokyo to discuss the economic development of the Kuril Islands. Territorial claims over the archipelago have been a subject of dispute between Russia and Japan since the 19th century. The islands have remained under Russia’s control since 1945, when the Soviet Union took them from Japan. In the lead-up to this month’s meeting, Russia again asserted its authority over the islands. On Feb. 22, Russia’s defense minister said Moscow plans to deploy an army division this year to the islands. However, the islands’ ownership …read more
Source: Geopolitical Futures
