Russian residents of Japan-claimed islets believe return is far-fetched

Seventy years since the normalization of ties between Japan and the Soviet Union, residents of one of the Russian-controlled islands north of the Japanese archipelago that was to be returned to Japan under the 1956 agreement believe that the idea is now far-fetched.The joint declaration signed 70 years ago states that of the four islands northeast of Hokkaido, seized by the Soviet Union following Japan's surrender in World War II, the two smaller ones are to be returned to Japan once the countries conclude a peace treaty.While the smallest Habomai islet group is said to only host border gua…READ FULL ARTICLE