Protesters have marked the 80th anniversary of WWII\u2019s end with criticism of Tokyo\u2019s stance on the Kurils and Ukraine<\/p>\n
A group of demonstrators gathered outside Japan\u2019s embassy in Moscow on Wednesday to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Participants waved Russian flags and carried banners accusing Tokyo of trying to rewrite history and refusing to formally recognize the postwar settlement.
\nThe protesters emphasized that Japan has still not signed a formal peace treaty with either Russia or China, saying those nations played the most important role in ending WWII. They also condemned Japan\u2019s claims to the South Kuril Islands, with some speakers accusing \u201cJapanese nationalists\u201d of calling for control of Russia\u2019s Sakhalin Island as well.
\nOne demonstrator told reporters, \u201cBy not signing a peace deal with Russia and China \u2013 two permanent members of UNSC \u2013 Japan is effectively undermining the UN\u2019s authority and destabilizing the world order.\u201d<\/p>\n
Organizers argued that Japan\u2019s territorial claims amounted to an attempt to reassess the outcome of the war and diminish Russia\u2019s role. They said the refusal to formalize a peace agreement was part of the same approach.<\/p>\n
READ MORE: Putin and Xi issue WWII statement<\/p>\n
In addition to criticism of historical issues, the demonstration opposed Japan\u2019s current foreign policy. Participants accused Tokyo of \u201csupporting Nazism\u201d by backing Kiev in the Ukraine conflict.
\nOutstanding issues remain between Moscow and Tokyo over the Kuril Islands, which were incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1945 as part of the postwar settlement. The absence of a formal peace treaty has remained a major obstacle to better relations, and periodic demonstrations in Russia continue to highlight the unresolved dispute.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Protesters have marked the 80th anniversary of WWII\u2019s end with criticism of Tokyo\u2019s stance on the Kurils and Ukraine A group of demonstrators gathered outside Japan\u2019s embassy in Moscow on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17476,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,3,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17475","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-politics","category-society"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t