Major Territory Disputes Around The World

Japan And Russia Want The Kuril Islands

Photo Credits: maps4media via Getty Images

The Kuril Islands are positioned from the north of Japan up to the southern end of the Kamchatka Penninsula in Russia. Before World War II, Japan was in control of the islands closest to Japan, and Russia owned the rest. However, during the war, the Soviet Union invaded the other islands and took control of them.

Then, in 1951, Japan signed the San Francisco Peace Treaty which gave up their claim to the Kuril Islands and gave Russia full control. But the Soviet Union never ended up signing the peace treaty, therefore giving up claim to the islands. Since the treaty was never signed by both parties the islands are still under dispute and technically, Japan and Russia are still at war.