The islands Japan and Russia can’t agree on
The Northern Territories or Southern Kurils are disputed between the Japanese and Russians. After World War Two, the Soviet Union claimed control and expelled Japanese residents.
In 1947, thousands of Japanese families were expelled from their island homes by Soviet troops. They were taken from the Northern Territories, also known as the Southern Kurils, after the Soviet Union took control of the islands.
Japan and Russia have failed to sign a peace agreement after World War Two because of the dispute.
Yuzo Matsumoto, who's now 81, has been speaking to Laura Jones.
(Photo: Yuzo Matsumoto with photos of his parents, standing in front of a map of Etorofu. Credit: Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ)
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- Wed 30 Nov 2022 08:50GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service
- Wed 30 Nov 2022 12:50GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service
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- Wed 30 Nov 2022 23:50GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
- Thu 1 Dec 2022 00:50GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service South Asia
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Witness History
History as told by the people who were there
