Japan has not agreed with Russia on fishing in the southern Kuril Islands – Kommersant
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Japanese fishermen were unable to begin mackerel fishing off the southern Kuril Islands this season. This happened due to the fact that Japan was unable to agree on the catch of this fish with the Russian side, the TV channel reports NHK. The Japanese Fisheries Ministry said Russia “has shown no desire to resume negotiations.”
Under a bilateral agreement, the countries hold annual negotiations on safe fishing in the area. The Russian Federation notified Japan in January that it would not hold negotiations this year. Because of this, the mackerel fishing season in the area of Kunashir Island, which usually begins on September 16, is delayed. Fishermen in eastern Hokkaido will also not be able to start working. A similar problem faces fishermen catching octopuses in the Habomai Islands area. The octopus fishing season usually starts on October 16th.
Japan disputes Russia’s sovereignty over the islands of the South Kuril chain (Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and the Habomai group of islands). They came under Russian control after World War II.
After the Japanese authorities joined anti-Russian sanctions, the Russian Federation in March 2022 refused from negotiating the status of the Kuril Islands and concluding a peace treaty, and also abolished the visa-free regime for the Japanese in the Kuril Islands. Last year, Japan for the first time since 2003 indicated Southern Kuril Islands as “illegally occupied”.
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