[QUOTE]Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called for talks with Russia's President Vladimir Putin so that the two countries can negotiate a peace treaty.
The two never signed a treaty after the end of World War Two because of a dispute over four islands.
Mr Abe told reporters that both leaders recognised that the lack of such a document for 70 years was "abnormal".
Since taking office in 2012 Mr Abe has tried to improve relations with Moscow.
The former Soviet Union had seized several islands which Japan calls its Northern Territories in 1945. Russia calls them the Southern Kurils.
The two leaders last discussed the issue in 2013.
Mr Abe told reporters at his New Year press conference in Tokyo that he and Mr Putin "share the view that it is abnormal" for their countries not to have a peace treaty. The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1956.
"But without a summit meeting this Northern Territories problem cannot be resolved,'' he said.
He added that he would continue discussions with Mr Putin "when opportunities arise".[/QUOTE]
[url]http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35219262[/url]
What's with Japan and them suddenly getting all this old shit out of the way?
Whatever it is, good on them.
They'll never get those islands back but a treaty could happen.
Well, strictly speaking, the Soviet Union was at war with the empire of Japan. Since neither of these states exist anymore, its more a symbolic strengthening between the two countries then anything else.
the soviet union and japan had a neutrality pact at the time so the soviet occupation of japanese territory is in violation of international law. I don't understand how this is even an issue
[editline]5th January 2016[/editline]
[QUOTE=The Aussie;49459334]Well, strictly speaking, the Soviet Union was at war with the empire of Japan. Since neither of these states exist anymore, its more a symbolic strengthening between the two countries then anything else.[/QUOTE]
no, the kurils/northern territories dispute is every bit as hot a topic as the falklands
[QUOTE=butre;49459344]the soviet union and japan had a neutrality pact at the time so the soviet occupation of japanese territory is in violation of international law. I don't understand how this is even an issue
[editline]5th January 2016[/editline]
no, the kurils/northern territories dispute is every bit as hot a topic as the falklands[/QUOTE]
The soviets promised to join the war against Japan in exchange for the Islands.
I feel like Japan has an island(s) dispute with half the countries in Asia.
[QUOTE=Rangergxi;49459361]The soviets promised to join the war against Japan in exchange for the Islands.[/QUOTE]
they had a neutrality pact going at the time. they technically shouldn't have even joined WWII
[QUOTE=Darth Ninja;49459367]I feel like Japan has an island(s) dispute with half the countries in Asia.[/QUOTE]
Kind of tends to happen when it's a region with a load of islands with very low to no population outside of the major ones.
[QUOTE=Radley;49459299]What's with Japan and them suddenly getting all this old shit out of the way?
Whatever it is, good on them.[/QUOTE]
Looks like it's because of Honest Abe
Interesting how Japan is trying to sort out old problems. Would be nice if they accepted they used Western prisoners as slaves and tortured/mistreated them on a daily basis to the point of death.
Fun fact about Kuril Islands and Japan - Japanese people play their own version of Aud Lang Syne every year on new years (with their own lyrics of course), as well as graduations and when stores close at the end of the day.
The fourth verse contains lyrics,
[i]"From the ends of Chishima (Kuril Islands) to Okinawa,
All part of Japan.
Contribute to our great country.
I'll faithfully devote my life."[/i]
Granted they only really sing and put focus until the second verse post-WWII, I wonder if they'll officially rewrite it to reflect current events
[QUOTE=Kill001;49459812]Fun fact about Kuril Islands and Japan - Japanese people play their own version of Aud Lang Syne every year on new years (with their own lyrics of course), as well as graduations and when stores close at the end of the day.
The fourth verse contains lyrics,
[I]"From the ends of Chishima (Kuril Islands) to Okinawa,
All part of Japan.
Contribute to our great country.
I'll faithfully devote my life."[/I]
Granted they only really sing and put focus until the second verse post-WWII, I wonder if they'll officially rewrite it to reflect current events[/QUOTE]
The Germans had the same issue with their anthem. "[I]Von der Maas bis an die Memel..." [/I]that stanza isn't sung anymore.
Are Russians taking Japanese markets? And this comes after Japan increasing ties in turkey...would japan be the country to improve turk and Russ relations
[QUOTE=Radley;49459299]What's with Japan and them suddenly getting all this old shit out of the way?
Whatever it is, good on them.[/QUOTE]
They recently started to re-establish their military as an actual fighthing force, not as a self-defense unit, so that might be it.
[QUOTE=Radley;49459299]What's with Japan and them suddenly getting all this old shit out of the way?
Whatever it is, good on them.[/QUOTE]
Well, Supposedly Germany never agreed to a treaty either because the fact that they were split down the middle by Russia.
[QUOTE=The Aussie;49459334]Well, strictly speaking, the Soviet Union was at war with the empire of Japan. Since neither of these states exist anymore, its more a symbolic strengthening between the two countries then anything else.[/QUOTE]
As they're both successor states to those two nations, the treaties still apply unless I'm mistaken
russia should give the islands to ukraine
[QUOTE=butre;49459380]they had a neutrality pact going at the time. they technically shouldn't have even joined WWII[/QUOTE]
They joined the war hoping to get land at the table for doing nothing, they knew we were going to be the ones fighting, they however got a portion of the spoils through islands and North Korea which worked out fantastic
[QUOTE=Sableye;49462333]They joined the war hoping to get land at the table for doing nothing, they knew we were going to be the ones fighting, they however got a portion of the spoils through islands and North Korea which worked out fantastic[/QUOTE]
Errrr, Red army was "doing nothing"? More than a million soviet troops were involved in Manchurian operation and landing in Korea, crushing Japanese continental forces.
[QUOTE=gudman;49462398]Errrr, Red army was "doing nothing"? More than a million soviet troops were involved in Manchurian operation and landing in Korea, crushing Japanese continental forces.[/QUOTE]
Then again by that time the Japanese army was already collapsing and their economy was rapidly contracting. The USSR only got involved in the last few weeks of the war, and although they captured massive amounts of land Japan had already lost long before the USSR got involved.
The country which takes the most credit for defeating Japan should be China in all honesty.
[QUOTE=gudman;49462398]Errrr, Red army was "doing nothing"? More than a million soviet troops were involved in Manchurian operation and landing in Korea, crushing Japanese continental forces.[/QUOTE]
those troops hadn't been supplied in years though, US forces had all but destroyed any military production by then, and their maritime shipping fleets had been entirely wiped out, the USSR started fighting japan on august 6th, the war was over by September 2nd
[QUOTE=Darth Ninja;49459367]I feel like Japan has an island(s) dispute with half the countries in Asia.[/QUOTE]
These are larger islands, not the little ones that China claims.
Fun fact parts of Japan have billboards that talk about reclaiming these islands.
[QUOTE=thrawn2787;49463051]
Fun fact parts of Japan have billboards that talk about reclaiming these islands.[/QUOTE]
Really? Where?
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;49462445]Then again by that time the Japanese army was already collapsing and their economy was rapidly contracting. The USSR only got involved in the last few weeks of the war, and although they captured massive amounts of land Japan had already lost long before the USSR got involved.
The country which takes the most credit for defeating Japan should be China in all honesty.[/QUOTE]
China definitely should get the most credit, but the soviets role shouldn't be underplayed, they destroyed 1 million+ japanese troops.
You can't tell me that losing that many troops didn't have a profound impact on Japans decision to surrender.
Plus not to mention that the Soviets were ready to invade the Japanese home Island much earlier than the US were, again affecting Japans decision to surrender.
[QUOTE=Araknid;49464293]China definitely should get the most credit, but the soviets role shouldn't be underplayed, they destroyed 1 million+ japanese troops.
You can't tell me that losing that many troops didn't have a profound impact on Japans decision to surrender.
Plus not to mention that the Soviets were ready to invade the Japanese home Island much earlier than the US were, again affecting Japans decision to surrender.[/QUOTE]
You have to remember this was late in the war though.
Japan had already been at war for about 8 years by that point. The Japanese Empire began to slowly collapse in the last few years of that, accelerating rapidly in the last months of the war. Ultimately they would have still surrendered by the end of 1945 even if the USSR didn't get involved or the bombs weren't dropped because by that point they were in a crippling famine and had virtually no industry, fuel, or military supplies left.
[QUOTE=Zillamaster55;49463190]Really? Where?[/QUOTE]
I saw a few in Hokkaido. Maybe they're only up there since that's closer to the islands.
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;49462445]Then again by that time the Japanese army was already collapsing and their economy was rapidly contracting. The USSR only got involved in the last few weeks of the war, and although they captured massive amounts of land Japan had already lost long before the USSR got involved.
The country which takes the most credit for defeating Japan should be China in all honesty.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Sableye;49462523]those troops hadn't been supplied in years though, US forces had all but destroyed any military production by then, and their maritime shipping fleets had been entirely wiped out, the USSR started fighting japan on august 6th, the war was over by September 2nd[/QUOTE]
You are correct, and I'm not denying that the absolute majority of fighting against imperial Japan had been done by others, but saying Soviets were "doing nothing" is still unfair. And somewhat disrespectful, towards both Soviet troops who lost their lives, and Kwantung army, which demonstrated surprising morale and ability to fight, with virtually no supplies and against technically and numerically overwhelming Soviet forces. Any other military force would've surrendered instantly.
[QUOTE=gudman;49466199]You are correct, and I'm not denying that the absolute majority of fighting against imperial Japan had been done by others, but saying Soviets were "doing nothing" is still unfair. And somewhat disrespectful, towards both Soviet troops who lost their lives, and Kwantung army, which demonstrated surprising morale and ability to fight, with virtually no supplies and against technically and numerically overwhelming Soviet forces. Any other military force would've surrendered instantly.[/QUOTE]
There are many things both the Red Army and the Imperial Japanese Army can be accused of.
Cowardice and weakness are not among them.
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