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The Kuril Islands first came under Japan ese administration in the Edo Period , in the form of claims by the Matsumae clan. This lasted to August 1945. JAPANESE GEOGRAPHICAL VIEWPOINT ON THE KURIL ARCHIPELAGO The Kuril Archipelago (in Japanese Chi-shima ) lies north-west of Japan, between Hokkaido and Kamchatka (in Japanese Kamuchatzuka ). To the east of the island chain is a sea trench with depths as great as 8,000 or 9,000 meters. Various volcanoes reach 1,500 and 1,200 m, their craters, still active between the foggy pine tree forests and eternal snows. On the coasts live Ainu , who are visited in spring by Japanese fishers of the Sea Of Okhotsk . Between the Kuroshio ( Kuro Shiwo ) Stream and northeast Honshu coasts the sea current Oyeshio ( Oya Shiwo ) or Okhotsk Stream descends until 39° northern latitude, bringing cold to surrounded areas, between Kuriles and Hokkaido, following with fog and abundant rich fisheries, this stream arriving finally at the shores of Vladivostok . The Archipelago extends in an arc from Ezo (Hokkaido) to the Kamchatka Peninsula ( Siberia ), and includes 31 volcanic islands. The two most southern have coniferous forests and similar to Hokkaido, on the coasts are numerous fishing towns. The rest of the islands are practically uninhabited, with only Tundra vegetation, and stay submerged in fog during the great part of spring. In the template forests in great islands are Abies Veitchii , Abies Sachalinensis , Picea Jezoensis , Larix Kurilensis , and Pinus Pumila ; the local soils are some partially or totally Podzol icized. This northern district, is one island chain from Hokkaido to Kamchatka , at 51° north latitude. If the 1000 islands or Chisima , more known by foreigners as " Kuriles ". In reality this group is only 31 islands, mostly volcanic. The coasts are conformed by high rocky cliffs, and there is no easy farming land, except on the biggest islands. The snow lasts until middle September to June and in spring there is a lot of fog within the archipelago. The Kuriles are surrounded by abundant fisheries, which attract a great number of fishing vessels in spring. On larger islands some rivers offer river fishing, the Salmon , Cod , Crab of most importance. In the islands live great Bear s, Fox es, Sable Marten and other hunting pieces. Sea Otter s and nutria, are protected by international agreement signed between Japan, Russia, England and United States in 1911. The Japanese northern sea route is near the archipelago, and the Aleutian group, but there is a constant risk of Fog . This is the most direct route between the Japanese Empire and United States . Dangerous atmospheric conditions, leave few possibilities for transpacific aviation. Volcanoes in Kurils islands
Kuril Capes, Bays and small islands
Kuril Rivers Kuril Sea Straits
JAPANESE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND IN THE KURIL ISLANDS If suppose why Japan not comized to habited, more later why Europe , Asia n Continent, and Malay Archipelago. The most primitive evidences encountered in Yezo (Ezo) and Nortern Hondo (Honshu), if attributed at Aleuts and Kamchadals ancestors; another rests if Ainus . precisely last still living in Ezo, Karaftu and Kuriles. It is said that the Japanese knew the northern islands 370 years ago. Trade between these islands and Ezo (Hokkaido), existed long before them. Accord with " Shinra-no Kiroku ", a historical chronicle of Matsumae Clan, who controlled Ezo in these days, the lord of Matsumae presented sea-otter skin, which he received as a gift from the Ainu in the Menashi (Eastern) region, to tokugawa shogunate in 1615. As sea otters do not live around the main island of Hokkaido, it is presumed that the Ainu who lived in northern islands were trading them with Hokkaido residents. On " Shoho Onkuko Ezu ", a map of Japan made by the Tokugawa Shogunate , in 1644, there are 39 large and small northeast of the Shiretoko Peninsula and Cape Nossapu . Thirty-four of them were named "Kunashiri", "Etorofu", "Urufu", etc. Russia began to advance into Chisima (Kuril) in the early 18th century. Although the Russians often sent expedition parties for research and hunted sea otters, they never went south of Uruppu island, which is just north of Etorofu. This because the Edo Shogunate controlled islands south of Etorofu and had guards stationed on those islands to prevent incursions by foreigners. In 1811, Captain Golovnin and his crew, who stopped at Kunashiri during their survey of sea near Chisima, were captured by Nambu Clan, and sent to Matsumae autorities. because Takataya Kahei was also captured by Russian vessel near Kunashiri, in the following year, Japan and Russia entered into negotiations to stablish the border between tow countries in 1813. Althougth these negotiations did not go smoothly, the Treaty of Commerce, Navigation and Delimitation was concluded in 1855, and the border was established between Etorofu and Uruppu. This border confirmed that Japanese territory stretched south Etorofu and Russian territory stretched north of the Chisima Island (Kuril), Karafuto (Sakhalin) remainded a place where people from both could live. During the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–05, Gunji Japanese retired military and local settler in Shumushu, leading some invader party, to Russian territory, when theirs arriving to Kamchatka coasts. Russians sent reinforcments to area to capture and inter this group. From this success, the first Japanese invasion to Russian land, surging the Russian-Japanese fisheries agreements, were Japan receiving some fishing rights in Russian coasts until 1945. Between successes of Crimean War , one Anglo-French naval force made a naval bombardment against Petropavlovsk , Kamchatka. This group occupied Uruppu (denomined for theirs " Ile D Alliance ") and Etorofu ("Ile d Las Nations") for certain period. From North Kuriles area, Japanese forces during their armed intervention in Siberia since 1918, along United States and European forces, occupied for some time South Kamchatka Peninsula. Japanese vessels made naval strikes against Petropavlovsk and occuping such area until 1927. RULE OF THE EDO SHOGUNATE OVER THE NORTHERN TERRITOIRES
JAPANESE POPULATION IN KURIL ARCHIPELAGO Although, 17,291 people lived in Northern territoires, when world war ended August 15, 1945, they were forced to evacuate the island by 1949 and 80% of them settled in Hokkaido which adjoins the northern territoires. At present (end of march 1999) 9,174 former residents are still alive, while 46.9% have passed away. PRE-WAR JAPANESE SITUATION IN KURIL ARCHIPELAGO Because warm and cold currents mix in the northern seas, this poses abundant marine resources and long ranked among the 3 leading, fishing grounds in the world. Main marine products of area included kelp, salmon, cod and king crab. The average catch of three years from 1939 to 1941 was aproximatelly 210,000 tons, which was 52 million at that time and accounted for 23% of the total, catch in Hokkaido. By area 131,250 tons (mostly Kelp ) came from Habomai, 11,250 tons from Shikotan, 45,000 tons from Kunashiri, and 22,500 tons from Etorofu. In most of the larger islands (Kunashiri, Etorofu, Paramushiro, Shimushiro, Uruppu) if occupied by forestry and some farming. Additionally in Shimushiro if harvesting with Reideers (for meat) and fox furs, in Kunashiri and Etorofu if harvests horses and cows. Only in great islands if practiced inner river fishing. For sometimes in Shiashkotan if poses certain mineral sources of Sulphur, during 1893–94. in others islands encountered silver and gold. JAPANESE ADMINISTRATION IN KURIL ARCHIPELAGO In 1869, the new, Meiji government established the Colonization Commission in Sapporo to aid in the developmnt of the northern area. Ezo was renamed Hokkaido and Kita Ezo later received the name of Karafuto. Eleven provinces and 86 districts were founded by Meiji government and were put under the control of feudal clans. With the establishment of prefectures instead of feudal domains in 1871, these areas were put under direct control of the Colonization Commission. Prefecture Chisima ( Kunashiri )
Prefecture Chisima ( Etorofu )
Prefecture Furubetsu
Prefecture Saga (later changed to Sendai) Prefecture Kochi (later changed to Sendai) Prefecture Shikotan
Because the new Meiji government could not sufficiently cope with Russians moving to south Sakhalin, the Treaty for exchange of Sakhalin for the Kuril Island was concluded in 1875 and 18 islands to the north of Uruppu, which had belonged to Russia, were transferred to Japan. In 1880, village offices were established on the islands of Shikotan, Kunashiri and Etorofu under the new administrative system. The main industry changed from hunting to fishing around 1885 and expanded to salmon, crab and other north sea fisheries. Road networks and post offices were established on Kunashiri and Etorofu. Life on the islands became more stable when a regular sea route connecting islands with Hokkaido was opened and a telegraphic system began. At the end of the Taisho era, towns and villages were organized in the northern territories and village offices were stablished on each island. The Habomai island were all part of Habomai Village for example. In other cases the town and village system was not adopted on islands north of Uruppu , which were under direct control of Nemuro Subprefectural office of the Hokkaido government. Each village had a district forestry system, a marine product examination center, a salmon hatchery, a post office, a police station, elementary school, shintoist temple, and other public facilities. In 1930, 8,300 people lived on Kunashiri island and 6,000 on Etorofu island, and most of them were engaged in coastal and high sea fishing. The Hokkaido Government established the Chisima Research Center in the Village of Shana , on Etorofu in 1939. All the Northernmost islands were surveyed by 74 staff members of this Station who collected basic data for such development. Because the northern islands were also of strategic importance for national defense, military bases were gradually established and the islands were promoted under the tense military situation. JAPANESE TOWNS AND VILLAGES ON THE KURIL ISLANDS IN APRIL 1923 Tsi-Tsima ( Chisima ) Sub Prefecture
Minami Tsi-Tsima District
Island Habomai Island Shikotan Island Kunashiri Island Etorofu
Special Nortern Districts Kita Tsi-Tsima District
Island Uruppu
Island Matsuwa
Island Shimushiro
Island Shashukotan
Island Onnekotan
Island Paramushiro
Island Shumushu
JAPANESE CITIES AND IMPORTANT TOWNS IN THE ISLANDS
KURIL ARCHIPELAGO DURING WW2 PERIOD
NATIONAL DEFENSE IN THE KURIL ISLANDS Kuril's defense was entrusted to , Colonel Zueo Ikeda , Lieutenant-General Fuzai Tsutsumi , Major Zeiji Sato (on Shumushu Island), Colonel Ueda (on Matsuwa island), Major-General Niho (on Uruppu island), and for "Minami Chisima Fortress", Lieutenant-General Ogawa (on Etorofu island). The organization of Japanese Army defenses in Northern area:
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