Since mid-20th century, Russia and Japan have been negotiating a peace treaty after World War II. The main stumbling block to this is the issue of the ownership of the South Kuril Islands.

(CNN)-- Russia's president visited the disputed Kuril Islands on ... Following Japan's defeat in World War II, the Soviet Union in 1945 annexed the four southernmost islands, which previously ...

TASS/. Japan’s upper house of parliament has passed a bill on boosting the economic development of the country’s regions neighboring Russia’s Kuril Islands, the Kyodo news agency reported.