Japan - Russia Kuril Islands dispute:

Russian Deputy Defense Minister led a delegation to visit Japan and Russia disputed islands, the Japanese side expressed deep regret

Russian Deputy Defense Minister led a delegation to visit Japan and Russia disputed islands, the Japanese side expressed deep regret

Core Tip: Bulgakov Russian Deputy Defense Minister of the Russian military delegation led by 20, visited Japan and Russia disputed islands. Japan's new chief Yukio Ueno 21 branches, said the event on Bulgakov's deeply regrettable.

For the "four northern islands" issue, Japan also took a tough stance after Japanese Foreign Minister Pictured Maehara inspections from the air, "the four northern islands."

Bulgakov Russian Deputy Defense Minister of the Russian military delegation led by 20, visited Japan and Russia disputed islands. Japan's new chief Yukio Ueno 21 branches, said the event on Bulgakov's deeply regrettable.

Analysis of the Japanese media said Bulgakov's trip highlighted the significance of the Russian military is also attached great importance to the South Kuril Islands (Japan said that "the four northern islands") of the gesture.

Bulgakov 20, visited the island in the Etorofu air base in Russia and the presence of artillery and other military units. Later, after the country he will also visit the island. Russian media said he visited the South Kuril Islands will continue to 23 days.

Yukio Ueno 21 branches in addition to this line of Bulgakov expressed regret, but also calls on this issue between Japan and Russia to hold new discussions as soon as possible, a peaceful solution.

Last November, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev as Russia's first visit to the country after the supreme head of the island, Japanese Foreign Minister Maehara said Japan, the Russian president this hurt the feelings of the people, and summoned the Russian ambassador, said the protests.

Medvedev end of last year's live television, said that Russia intends to cooperate with Japan, but reiterated that "the South Kuril Islands, the territory of the Russian Federation."


It is reported that construction work is responsible for infrastructure and education ministers of the Russian administration, also plans to visit the South Kuril Islands. Analysis of the Japanese fear that the Russian attempt to continue sending government officials to disputed islands, stressing that "the South Kuril Islands, belonging to the Russian" position, so as to achieve the purpose of further development of the region.

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan 20, the Japanese government's foreign policy speech, delivered when they talked about the Russo-Japanese dispute islands. He said, "to resolve the territorial issue from the long term national interests in Russia, we hope that the Russian government to understand this."

Second World War, the Soviet Union occupied the country, the Etorofu, Habomai, Shikotan the four islands. Between Japan and Russia had the ownership of four islands had long talks, but did not make substantial progress.


   

So the Russians have remembered their outlying regions still exist and the Japanese get upset about it.

Fair enough.

The irony is that it is likely that the Russians want to improve conditions in the region to improve trade in the area... if Japan gets stroppy about it then it is likely other states in the region will benefit instead.

Russia to deploy units on Iturup, Kunashir Islands - defense minister


Russia will deploy military units on Iturup and Kunashir, part of the Kuril Islands, Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said on Saturday.

"We will most likely base in two military towns on two islands - Iturup and Kunashir," Serdyukov told journalists in Vladivostok, Russia's Far East.



VLADIVOSTOK, February 26 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20110226/162769279.html

Good move Russia, Japan has been getting rather aggressive on this issue lately. If Japan has any plans to take the Islands by force hopefully Russia upgrading their defenses will make them think differently. I doubt their would be an armed conflict anyway though, both Russia and Japan can benefit greatly if they improve their economic cooperation.

http://www.lenta.ru/news/2011/03/01/bastion/

Russian army will also place Bastion complex with Yachont anti-ship missiles on Kuril islands.

There are news about Mi-28/Tor-M1 placement too.

Russian army will also place Bastion complex with Yachont anti-ship missiles on Kuril islands.

Except that it is a Russian base so the missile is more likely to be the Oniks than the export Yakhont.

The Oniks has longer range and a heavier warhead.

Do you think Japanese Military is behind push to get Americans out of Okinawa? Japan doesn't want to spend $2 Billion annually to support Americans and use the money instead to build ships, Mitsubishi 5th Gen Fighter, and other weapons?

When the Americans leave Okinawa in 2014 Japan will be spending lots of money building hardware for their military. I think Japanese military wants to leave self defense only and take back some lost territory. Chinese taking those Natural Gas Reserves in the ocean near them has them mad too. With 1/3rd of Americans dying off by 2020 Japan may inherit several Carrier Battle Groups from America. Then Russia's in trouble with those islands. Won't have Americans holding them back. They will need more fishing grounds due to whaling loss and Chinese deep water navy taking fishing grounds down south.

People will die over fish.

People will die over fish.

Sadly people already die for a lot less.

I rather think if the Japanese can move the Americans out of Japan then they could probably walk on water too.

Japan is just a useful strategic base for the US and I doubt they will ever leave.

...and if Chinas navy fleet is scaring Japan north, then the Russians military forces they are supposed to have by 2020 should scare them south like it did in 1939.

Russia to build two military posts in disputed Kuril Islands

The Russian Federal Agency for Special Construction will build two military posts in the disputed Kuril Islands, the agency's chief said on Friday.

"We are currently designing two military posts in the islands of Iturup and Kunashir, our task is to complete the project's design in 2012 and begin construction in 2013," Grigory Naginsky said.

Construction costs are estimated at 12 million rubles (about $377 million).

Naginsky also said an airfield for civilian and military aircraft in the disputed islands is currently being refurbished.

The row over the Kuril Islands, which are known as the Northern Territories in Japan, has prevented the two countries from signing a formal peace treaty following the end of World War II.

http://www.en.ria.ru/mlitary_news/20111216/170305690.html

Will be interesting to see what reaction comes from Japan over this.

They complain when Russian officials visit the islands... this might give them a heart attack...

Is there any estimate on what type of forces will be stationed there?A permanent wing of attack helicopters,automated aegis AAA and some fixed hardened postions seems an apt deterent force.The dug in t-10s and t-55s there hardly seem sufficient for the task.Given that the Japanese reaction will be "intense" a flotilla of modernized Osas might be nice too.

I would expect the stuff actually deployed to the Islands will not be that substantial... the heavy metal will be the Two Mistral Carriers likely to be based with the Pacific fleet in 2014 and 2015, plus a major port upgrade and support vessels to support operations.

It is also likely that the Pacific fleet will get a single Kirov class vessel as a flagship... initially upgraded with 10 UKSK systems with a total of 80 tubes for anti ship, anti sub, and land attack missiles... which would be pretty impressive on its own.

An S-400 system or two will likely be based in the region... both to protect the Pacific Fleet navy base from air and ballistic missile attack, but also some of the Far East from NK missile attack... if they get looney.

Russia needs to concentrate on the Asia Pacific region primarily because the US and China are beefing up there own presence in this region . If Russia can enter into a security pact with countries like Thailand and Phillipines among other ASEAN countries it will definitely ensure that these countries feel more secure in the light of increased Chinese belligerence.

disputed my ass

whe can do what ever we want ther

Asian Pacific region is becoming more important than European region which is in decline, so Russia have to increase military presence there and Kurils are good pretext for it.

In a few ways the Russians standing up to Japan over the Kuriles will improve their standing in the Asian region... many countries there remember the 1940s and still don't fully trust that Japan is sorry for what it did.

Certainly the Asian countries don't look down their noses at Russia like much of Old and New Europe does.

Also while Russian ties are less, many of the European ties to the region are negative colonial ties that wont help them much now.

Does anyone else remember what happened when Russia sent a French built navy to the Pacific?

There is a significant difference between two French designed and built Mistrals armed with Russian weapons and aircraft and the Russian navy of that period.

Even with German training and assistance to Japan will not change the imbalance in terms of tactical and strategic nuclear weapons...

GarryB wrote:There is a significant difference between two French designed and built Mistrals armed with Russian weapons and aircraft and the Russian navy of that period.

Even with German training and assistance to Japan will not change the imbalance in terms of tactical and strategic nuclear weapons...

German assistance? First I heard of it.

Anyway it's no threat, what can Germany teach Japan exactly? There are countries with the world whose militaries, startegies, equipment, etc... got a hell of a lot of practical experience and baptisism of fire over the last 60-70 years. They certainly have a thing or two they can teach others. The US is one of them, as is Russia. China and India count too. Germany and Japan - cannot.

German assistance? First I heard of it.

Anyway it's no threat, what can Germany teach Japan exactly? There are countries with the world whose militaries, startegies, equipment, etc... got a hell of a lot of practical experience and baptisism of fire over the last 60-70 years. They certainly have a thing or two they can teach others. The US is one of them, as is Russia. China and India count too. Germany and Japan - cannot.

Pugnax is referring to the Port Arthur conflict in very early 1900s, where a Russian navy was defeated by the Japanese fleet.

Of course I would not agree that the Russian Navy of the time was French built... perhaps French influenced, the Japanese Navy of the time had German influences in tactics and design of ships.

It is not a conflict I am particularly familiar with but seem to remember that the Russian fleet met the Japanese fleet over laden and unstable... and not properly prepared for battle.

Either way it is not at all relevant now because both sides are completely different forces... Or can Canada still sack Washington now?

The Russians did not just lose the battle of tsushima,they lost the war with japan.The woeful borodino class and imposing looking tsessarevitch were french inspired designs.Battleship Retvizan was american built and showed great potential.Japanese battleships were british built and they used british range finding and gun laying doctrines.A sad war that impresses the value of maintaining quality manufacturing capabilities as some Russian shipwrights substituted concrete for armour plating on the Borodinos.

Russian ground forces did quite well in the war.


Then again, what does 1905 have to do with today?

I was merely reflecting on the fact that when Imperial Russia outsourced her naval construction the quality of foreign built equiptment was highly suspect.Having the french build the helo carriers,even granting them access to Russian weapons technology is dangerous territory.The French military has a long and prestigious history,their equiptment however is Nato bargain basement stuff.