Japan Pays Russia For Fishing in Kurils
TOKYO － The Japanese government has been paying Russia for the past 17 years for the right to fish in waters surrounding the southern Kuril Islands, the Korean Embassy reported Tuesday.When South Korea worked out an agreement with Russia to fish there this year, Japan angrily denied that Russia had the right to license fishing in the southern Kurils, and barred South Korean boats from other fishing grounds in Japan's waters.
The islands were seized by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II, but Japan still claims them.
Japan paid Russia 300 million yen ($2.4 million) last year.
"It is not a fishing fee," a Japanese official said, "but cooperative funds for the preservation of maritime resources within our territories."
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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