By resolution 2662-IX, the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) admitted Russiaʼs occupation of the Northern territories of Japan (the Kuril Islands).
The Verkhovna Rada declared support for Japanʼs position regarding its Northern territories, recognized them as occupied, and called on the international community to take all possible measures for the contractual and legal status of the islands.
Also, the Ukrainian Parliament appealed to the UN, the European Parliament, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, NATO, the OSCE, the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development of GUAM and the national parliaments of the countries of the world with a call to consistently support the settlement of the status of Japanʼs Northern Territories.
- Today, the Kuril Islands administratively belong to the Sakhalin Region of the Russian Federation, but Japan disputes this and considers the islands to be its territory, which the USSR captured in World War II.
- On March 21, 2022, Russia withdrew from protracted negotiations and froze joint economic projects related to the Kuril Islands. The reason was Japanʼs accession to Western sanctions due to Russiaʼs war against Ukraine. Already on March 26, Russia started military exercises on the islands.
- On March 31, Japan recognized the Kuril Islands as "the original territory of Japan under illegal occupation".
- On September 6, Russia canceled simplified entry for the Japanese to the Kuril Islands. The agreement has been in effect since 1999.