“Union of residents of the islands of Tisima and Khabomai” was declared undesirable

The General Prosecutor’s Office of Russia added the Japanese non-governmental organization “Union of the Islanders of Tisima and Khabomai” to the list of undesirables. She was engaged in the development of Japan’s relations with the islands of the South Kuril Range. According to the General Prosecutor’s Office, “Soyuz” encroached on the integrity of Russia and sought to alienate the Southern Kurils from it.

The website of the Japanese “Association for Northern Territories” states that the “Union of Residents of the Islands of Tisima and Khabomai” consists mainly of Japanese people who moved from the Southern Kuril Islands. The NGO held training seminars and exhibitions related to the history and current situation of the disputed islands, organized humanitarian trips to the Kuril Islands for their former residents and their descendants, excursions and visits to the graves of ancestors in a simplified mode.

“Union of Residents of the Islands of Tisima and Khabomai” became the 82nd organization declared “undesirable” by the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation.

• Japan disputes the ownership of four islands of the Southern Kuril Range by Russia. The dispute has not been settled since the end of the Second World War. Although the USSR expressed readiness to return at least two islands to Japan, the Russian authorities declare that they are not ready for any compromises.
• After the beginning of Russia’s full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Japan imposed sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin, the country’s top officials and their relatives, banks and enterprises, and also left Russia with the status of the most favored nation in trade. At the same time, Tokyo announced that it would provide military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
• Russia included Japan in the list of “unfriendly countries” and declared that it was withdrawing from the dialogue with Japan on the establishment of joint economic activities in the South Kuril Islands and blocking the continuation of Japan’s status as a partner of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization in the sectoral dialogue. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kasida then called Russia’s actions “unreasonable and absolutely unacceptable.”