Japan should keep insisting Russia `illegally occupies` isles: Maehara

NEMURO, Japan, Oct. 17 Kyodo -
Seiji Maehara, minister in charge of Okinawa and the Northern Territories, on
Saturday said Japan should keep demanding Russia return four islands off
Hokkaido that it seized at the end of World War II as it is ''illegal
occupation.''
''Historically, the Northern Territories are an integral part of Japan. It is
literally illegal occupation (by Russia) and Japan should keep saying so,''
Maehara told reporters after viewing from the sea Russian-held islands that are
claimed by Japan.
Before boarding a Japan Coast Guard boat, Maehara also viewed the islands --
Kunashiri, Etorofu, Shikotan and the Habomai islet group -- from Cape Nosappu
in the city of Nemuro.
Maehara, also land, infrastructure, transport and tourism minister, arrived in
Nemuro on Friday and met with former residents of the islands and Hokkaido Gov.
Harumi Takahashi.
In the meeting, the residents called on the government to get the islands
returned soon, while Maehara said he intends to visit them after next spring.
The dispute over the islands has prevented Japan and Russia from concluding a
peace treaty to formally end hostilities from World War II.
Japan refers to the disputed islands as its Northern Territories while Russia
governs them as the Southern Kurils.
Earlier this year, Japan's parliament passed a bill to declare that the islands
are an integral part of Japan, with then Prime Minister Taro Aso also calling
Russia's occupation illegal, igniting a backlash from Russia.
''Though faintly, you can see Kunashiri with the naked eye. I became nostalgic
as a Japanese national,'' Maehara told reporters Saturday.
''Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama intends to resolve the territorial issue.
Negotiations (with Russia) will not be easy but we will do our best,'' he
added.
==Kyodo