Zakharova described Tokyo’s statements regarding the Southern Kuril Islands as unacceptable, noting they seem particularly ironic on the eve of the 80th anniversary of the victory over Japan. Zakharova said in a comment published on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website: ‘Tokyo’s insistence on misinterpreting the mid-20th century events, which determined the fate of humanity, clearly underscores the essence of revenge in Japan’s modern policy,’ she added.
Zakharova further mentioned that Moscow considers such rhetoric unacceptable, stating: ‘We regard this rhetoric as unacceptable from a statesman of this level, and even more so, it is incapable of altering the objective reality: the southern islands were transferred to the Soviet Union, of which the Russian Federation is the successor, based on legal foundations enshrined in post-war agreements among the Allied countries and the United Nations Charter.’
She explained: ‘In anticipation, we again call on Tokyo to fully acknowledge its responsibility for the aggression waged in Asia during the 1930s and 1940s, and to offer a sincere apology for the suffering inflicted on its peoples.’
