Russia releases development plan of disputed islands
(VOVworld) – The Russian government has ratified a 10-year development plan for the Kuril Islands, which Japan also claims sovereignty over and refers them as the Northern Territories. The financing for the 10-year program amounts to about 1.22 billion U.S. dollars (roughly 70 billion rubles).
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Dmitry Medvedev visiting the Kuril Islands in 2010 (photo: tass.ru)
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The development project should improve living conditions and attract more residents, while strengthening transport connectivity of the islands with the Russian mainland is one of the most important goals.
Russia has been actively restoring both civilian and military infrastructure on the disputed islets. Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev said on Thursday he planned to visit the Kuril Islands to check the real situation there.
Japan immediately reacted to the Russian government’s plan. The Japanese Embassy in Russia forwarded a letter from their Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida to the Russian government asking them to cancel Medvedev’s possible visit to the disputed islands. Medvedev’s first visit was in 2010 as Russian President and the second took place in 2012 when he was Prime Minister.