You're reading: Russia’s Medvedev visits disputed Pacific islands

MOSCOW — In a visit that left Japan seething, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev traveled Tuesday to a disputed Pacific island and pledged to boost financing for four impoverished islands whose ownership has been disputed by Tokyo since World War II.

Russia captured the Southern
Kurils chain — that lie some 7,100 kilometers (4,400) miles from Moscow
— in 1945, but Japan still claims it as its own. The dispute for nearly
seven decades has prevented Moscow and Tokyo from signing a peace
treaty to formally end their hostilities.

Surrounded by rich fishing waters, the islands are believed to have offshore hydrocarbon reserves, gold and silver deposits.

The
Russian government said Medvedev arrived at Kunashir Island on Tuesday
with a group of officials. In 2010, he became the first Russian leader
to visit the chain, which Japan calls the Northern Territories.

During
a meeting with local officials, Medvedev pledged to allocate more
government funding for the construction of fisheries and roads on the
islands.

“Our easternmost region cannot be the most deprived one,” Medvedev said in televised remarks.

After
the 1991 Soviet collapse, the island chain has suffered neglect and its
population has plummeted. Many remaining residents took up poaching of
fish and crustaceans that are then sold illegally to Japan, South Korea
and China.

Japan protested the visit.

“Medvedev’s visit to
Kunashir pours cold water on our relations,” Japanese Foreign Minister
Koichiro Gemba was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying Tuesday.

Although
economic ties between Japan and Russia have grown, little progress has
been made in resolving the island dispute, which remains a source of
deep political tension and distrust.

Japan claims the Soviet
troops took control of the islands illegally and has consistently called
for their return as a precondition for fully improved ties.

Russia’s foreign minister dismissed the criticism.

“We have to move toward a peace treaty, but not through renewed protests — whether reasonable or not,” said Sergey Lavrov.

Russia
in 2005 suggested it would cede two of the islands if Japan gave up its
claim to the other two, but Japan rejected the idea. The islands lie as
close as six miles (10 kilometers) from Japan’s Hokkaido island, but
are also near an undisputed Russian territory.