Japanese man on visa-free visit held by Russia

[Ceewan]

Russian authorities have blocked a Japanese man's departure from the Northern Territories. He was with a group on a visa-free visit program. Japan's foreign ministry is asking Russia for his quick release.

Ministry officials say the Japanese man is an interpreter who was visiting Kunashiri, one of the 4 Russian-controlled islands, which Japan claims.

They say Russian authorities blocked his departure after questioning him during a security check on Sunday.

Former Japanese residents of the Northern Territories were visiting the island on a visa-free program. Others in the group returned to Nemuro Port by boat.

Ministry officials say it is extraordinary for Russia to have denied the man's departure.
They say the Northern Territories are Japan's inherent territory, and that security checks by Russian authorities are unacceptable. The officials are trying to confirm details of the incident.

High-ranking foreign ministry officials from Japan and Russia are scheduled to discuss a conclusion of a peace treaty in Moscow on August 26th.

The Japanese officials say they will deal with the matter carefully to avoid possibly impacting the upcoming talks.

 

[Ceewan]

Russia: Man held for carrying 4 million yen


Russian tax authorities say they decided to interrogate a Japanese man on Kunashiri Island because they found undeclared cash in his bag. The island is one of 4 Russian-controlled islands that Japan claims.

The man is an interpreter who was with a group on a visa-free visit program. Officials stopped him at a security check on Saturday as he was about to depart the island.

They say they found 4 million yen, or about 40,000 dollars, in the man's bag and suspected he was going to smuggle the money out of the island.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry says security checks by Russian authorities are unacceptable as Russia has no right to exercise authority in the region. The ministry is calling on Russia to allow him to leave.

A Russian Foreign Ministry official told NHK there is no problem with the man's health.

 

[kharo88]

I don't know how much Japanese interpreters make but that seems to me like a lot of money. No wonder he got interrogated.

 

[Ceewan]

I don't know how much Japanese interpreters make but that seems to me like a lot of money. No wonder he got interrogated.

True. The whole situation is a little muggy though. The Prime Minister of Japan is trying to negotiate for the return of the northern territories even as he is pressing for better relations with Russia. Officially no peace treaty has ever been signed between the two countries because of the occupation of these 4 islands north of Hokkaido. These relations are very important to both countries, although probably more so for Japan. It might have been wiser for the Russians to look the other way but I suppose that is a matter of perspective.


Prime Minister Abe is going to to meet with Putin and has been talking about inviting Putin to his home province in the near future as they discuss how to resolve these disputes and improve relations between the two countries (the small article found here). There has even been specualtion that Japan may be seeking some sort of alliance in the future with Russia, which would be, in my opinion, of great importance to a somewhat isolated Russia who has trouble trusting China, (Russia has yearly military drills on their borders with China and vice versa).

 

[kharo88]

Isolated or not, I wouldn't worry about Russia, personally. As long as Putin's there they're golden. I'm curious to hear what he has to say on these islands, though!

 

[Ceewan]

Japanese man gets OK to leave Russian-held isle


MOSCOW – A Japanese man who was questioned by authorities on Russian-held Kunashiri Island has been cleared to return home, Japan’s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.

The interpreter had been kept on the island, one of four off Hokkaido that are claimed by Japan, during a visit under a bilateral visa-free exchange program. Media reports said he was carrying undeclared cash when he underwent a baggage check to leave the island.

Every year, former residents, their descendants and others visit the Russian-held islands under the visa-free program that began in 1992.

Tokyo and Moscow have been locked in a long-standing dispute over the islands, which were seized by the Soviet Union after Japan’s surrender in World War II on Aug. 15, 1945.

The islands are called the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kurils in Russia.