Between two shores

The Kuril Islands were discovered in the 17th Century by both Russian and Japanese explorers. From the middle of the 19th Century, the southern Kuril islands -- Kunashir, Iturup, Shikotan and Habomai - were part of Japanese territory. After Japan's surrender in World War II, the Kuril Islands became part of Russia. But Japan still hasn't accepted the loss. The territorial dispute between Japan and Russia has been ongoing for more than 60 years. In this XL report you'll meet Russian and Japanese people sharing their thoughts on the issue, and see the beauty of the Kurils.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Kuril
• Islands
• Kunashir
• Iturup
• Shikotan
• Habomai
• territorial
• dispute
• Japanese
• people

[TheLilUchiha]

All these comments make me really sad.

Hopefully one day, everyone will realise that skin colour, place of birth, history and beliefs don't matter. Honestly, if everyone understood what it meant to love everybody, there would be no violence. There would be no need for war.

And why is everyone going on about how one country will wipe out another? Do you all take pride in killing people?

This is all so confusing. Oh well, I suppose I don't need to worry about this, anyway.

[marcelskoumal]

These islands don't belong neither to Japanese nor Russian people. These islands belong to Ainu people. Only notice that the names of the islands only have sense in the Ainu language: Iturup (place possessing many capes), Kunashir (black island), Shikotan (land with big communities), and so on.

[MrGuitarrez]

I can never fathom how Russia could have gained possession over such large swarth of land mass beginning from europe winding down central asia to extreme north-eastern asia tip. If they did not sell alaska to the americans in mid-1800s, their land mass would be even more mind boggling. I wonder how much of lives were lost in their conquest over the centuries.

[MrGuitarrez]

@TheLilUchiha I used to hope like you (wishful thinking) do but the more one reads history the more one realises that there have been too many emotional scars of the past that will never go away. Unfortunately,it's a fact that we must be prepared for...that such conflict will happen from time to time...the only thing we can do is ensure that the innocents will not be the victims. How do we prevent power brokers from usurping power?They are vicious and will stop at nothing to achieve their aims.

[toki1221]

@marcelskoumal exactly. ainu have been living in hokkaido, kuril and sakhalin. historically, ainu are waved between japan and russia. now you can see the battle here on this vid too between japanese and russian. even chinese, korean, etc join the battle...they are just frustrated with their personal grudge or jealousy against japan and who cares? if you really hope to slove this problem, both japan and russia should think about ainu FIRST, not their own national interests...

[0Russia0]

@kaztima109 No. USSR broke a nonaggression pact and has fulfilled its alliance commitments. Pact signed the capitulation of Japan later. =)

[JapanDeservesLove]

Eh, Russia owns enough land already. Either way, I think that Japanese people and Russians both should be able to live there happily. And all of the bigoted douches here should go jump in the freezing water.

[valdor777]

@Jewchai Да без проблем)))) с некоторыми людьми надо вести себя как быдло, это так скать инструмент воздействия, а про курилы лучше помолчи, я думаю тебе будет сложно тягаться в споре с коренным жителем КАК ФИЗИЧЕСКИ ТАК И НА СЛОВАХ !!! Уачи неуч)))

[Urdalibertine]

Japan needs to abandon it's stupid claims and start healing its lands.