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Japan Times
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
Ex-residents of Japan-claimed isles hold memorial at sea
Former residents of Russian-held islands claimed by Japan have held a memorial service at sea for their ancestors for the fourth straight year because they remain unable to land on the northwestern Pacific islands. The event, held Sunday, was the first among the seven such functions set to take place between July and August. Former residents of the islands, called the Northern Territories in Japan and the Kuril Islands in Russia, cannot return to their hometowns because exchange programs between the two countries have been suspended due to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. On Sunday, 46 people, including former islanders and their families, participated. A memorial ceremony took place around 2 p.m. aboard the exchange ship Etopirika, which arrived off Kunashiri, part of the Northern Territories. Yuzo Matsumoto, 84, from Etorofu, also among the Japanese-claimed islands, expressed his deep disappointment at being unable to visit the Northern Territories. Matsumoto, head of a group for former residents of the Chishima and Habomai islands, called for an early restart of a program allowing former residents to visit their ancestors' graves on the islands. Hideo Fukuzawa, 85, from the Habomai Islands, attended the event with his two grandchildren and said, "I think they've come to think more realistically about the islands." The disputed islands, located off Hokkaido, were seized from Japan by Soviet troops in the closing days of World War II.
21-07-2025
- Politics
Ex-Residents of Japan-Claimed Isles Hold Memorial at Sea
Newsfrom Japan Sapporo, July 21 (Jiji Press)--Former residents of Russian-held islands claimed by Japan have held a memorial service at sea for their ancestors for the fourth straight year because they remain unable to land on the northwestern Pacific islands. The event, held Sunday, was the first among the seven such functions set to take place between July and August. Former residents of the islands, called the Northern Territories in Japan, cannot return to their hometowns because exchange programs between the two countries have been suspended due to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. On Sunday, 46 people, including former islanders and their families, participated. A memorial ceremony took place around 2 p.m. aboard the exchange ship Etopirika, which arrived off Kunashiri, part of the Northern Territories. Yuzo Matsumoto, 84, from Etorofu, also among the Japanese-claimed islands, expressed his deep disappointment at being unable to visit the Northern Territories. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
Japan Times
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
Memorial services at sea to be held off disputed islands
The Hokkaido government has announced that memorial services at sea will be held between July 20 and Aug. 21 for former residents of the four Russian-held northwestern Pacific islands claimed by Japan to mourn their ancestors. In Japan, the four islands, which were seized by the former Soviet Union from Japan in the closing days of World War II, are collectively called the Northern Territories. Held for the fourth consecutive year, the memorial services aboard a ship reflect the wishes of former residents and successors to offer condolences to their ancestors as close as possible to their homeland, at a time when exchange initiatives, including a visa-free visit program, have been halted amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Hokkaido government said Tuesday that it will run the memorial services jointly with a league of former residents and others. Five of the scheduled seven memorial service sessions will be one-day trips in which participants will mourn their ancestors as they face the Habomai group of islets and the southern part of Kunashiri Island, both in the group of claimed islands, aboard a ship named Etopirika that will depart from and return to the port of Nemuro in eastern Hokkaido. The other two will involve an overnight stay on board, with participants offering prayers toward the northern part of Kunashiri Island.
18-06-2025
- Politics
Memorial Services at Sea to Be Held off Northern Territories
News from Japan Jun 18, 2025 19:16 (JST) Sapporo, June 18 (Jiji Press)--Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido has announced that memorial services at sea will be held for former residents of the four Russian-held northwestern Pacific islands claimed by Tokyo to mourn their ancestors, between July 20 and Aug. 21. In Japan, the four islands, which were seized by the former Soviet Union from Japan in the closing days of World War II, are collectively called the Northern Territories. Held for the fourth consecutive year, the memorial services aboard a ship reflect the wishes of former residents and successors to offer condolences to their ancestors as close as possible to their homeland, at a time when Northern Territories exchange programs including a visa-free visit program have been halted amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Hokkaido government said Tuesday that it will run the memorial services jointly with a league of former residents and others. Five of the scheduled seven memorial service sessions will be one-day trips in which participants will mourn their ancestors as they face toward the Habomai group of islets and the southern part of Kunashiri Island, both in the Northern Territories, aboard a ship named Etopirika that will depart from and return to the Nemuro port in eastern Hokkaido. The other two will involve an overnight stay on board, with participants offering prayers toward the northern part of Kunashiri Island. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
