A possible solution to South Kurils / Northern Territories conflict is possible without war

[The3Amigos]

Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, Habomai are referred to as South Kurils in Russia part of Sakhalin oblast and as Nothern Territories in Japan as part of Hokkaido prefecture. These island were originally Japanese as per treaty of Shimoda in 1855. In 1945 USSR was promised the Kurils in exchange for going to war with Japan. I see a possible solution to the conflict without war. Iturup, the largest of the four, is about half the total area of the four, with the other three accounting for about half the area of the four. A possible solution is Russia keeps Iturup and Japan gets the other three back. This way, Russians can be happy they were awarded extra land for going to war with Japan and the sacrifice of their soldiers is not in vain, and at the same time Japanese can be happy they got about half of their claimed land back. What do you think?

 

[Tshering22]

Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, Habomai are referred to as South Kurils in Russia part of Sakhalin oblast and as Nothern Territories in Japan as part of Hokkaido prefecture. These island were originally Japanese as per treaty of Shimoda in 1855. In 1945 USSR was promised the Kurils in exchange for going to war with Japan. I see a possible solution to the conflict without war. Iturup, the largest of the four, is about half the total area of the four, with the other three accounting for about half the area of the four. A possible solution is Russia keeps Iturup and Japan gets the other three back. This way, Russians can be happy they were awarded extra land for going to war with Japan and the sacrifice of their soldiers is not in vain, and at the same time Japanese can be happy they got about half of their claimed land back. What do you think?

The Russo-Japanse dispute can easily be resolved. Putin could easily disarm a major US ally politically by just handing over those islands back to Japan.

There is nothing there that is of value to the Russians except the victory ego of WW2. Russia already has the Big Diamede island and the adjoining islands around the Kamchatka peninsula. There is no oil, no gas, no strategic space there on the Kurils except maybe a watch post by the Russian border guards. The islands are so small that mining there is impossible.

Meanwhile, if Putin were to return the islands, it would completely pull the geopolitical rug from under Japan. There would be no excuse for the Japanese to be wary of Russia anymore. Russia will simply disarm an entire front with one stroke of Putin's pen.

Shinzo Abe tried for peace on Japan's behalf but the CIA assassinated him. Japan is in a golden cage. If it has to be free, Russia has to initiate the offer with the Kuril Islands and offer to sign the Peace Treaty.