There are four islands that protrude north east off Japan's northern most main island of Hokkaido.
Since the end of WWII who these islands belong to has been a matter of dispute between Japan and Russia.
It's kind of like the birds in "Finding Nemo." Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine.
The islands are nowhere. They freeze over in the winter time. But Russia wants them and Japan says it belongs to her.
One fisherman was shot dead and three were taken into custody this past week because their boat, Kisshin Maru No. 31 ventured into Russian territorial waters.
President Putin, though nearly a dozen time zones away would have nothing of it. Mine!
This reminds me of a time when I was in the Navy. We sent one of our helicopters to fly over what we calculated was international waters, but the Russians said were their waters.
The Russians threatened to shoot the helicopter down time and again.
I could tell you how it turned out, but then I'd have to shoot you.
Mine! Mine!
It's all about economics - fishing rights, and about security - Russia needs access to the Pacific via those northern islands less two of the Naval ports get frozen in part of the year.
In any event, Russia and Japan will need to talk about this and get it ironed out.
Now's a good time.
What do you think?
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that's an interesting fact too that russia and japan are in argument of which islands belong to them. but here's another scenario too in the middle of south china sea, that will get you a headache, ever heard of spratly islands?? some of them say that these countries(china, vietnam, malaysia, philippines and another one i forgot whoelse), are giving a claim that they own that island. because it has a oil-rich island. it has a very very close proximity to palawan in the philippines so the government officials in manila telling the media if that reality happens, they won't need to import oil from the middle east,
Posted by: Belew | August 28, 2006 1:18 PM | Permalink to Comment