Challenges and Prospects of the Southern Kuril Islands’ Status

Abstract

The paper provides a retrospective review on and analyses the current situation of the Southern Kuril Islands international legal status. It examines positions of Russia and Japan regarding this issue and ends with some proposals in order to reduce Russo-Japanese bilateral tensions caused by territorial dispute over these Islands. The main deduction of the paper provides that this problem cannot be finally solved nowadays by Russia and Japan solely based on current international legal agreements, which can be interpreted differently.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2016.v7n1p301