Home > News > The Prime Minister in Action > July 2014 > The Prime Minister Receives a Courtesy Call from Young Descendants of Former Inhabitants of the Northern Territories of Japan
The Prime Minister Receives a Courtesy Call from Young Descendants of Former Inhabitants of the Northern Territories of Japan
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Photograph of the Prime Minister receiving a courtesy call from young descendants of former inhabitants of the Northern Territories of Japan (1)
Photograph of the Prime Minister receiving a courtesy call from young descendants of former inhabitants of the Northern Territories of Japan (2)
These seven students spoke about their feelings toward the Northern Territories, after which the Prime Minister said,
“Listening to you speak about your feelings toward the Four Northern Islands, I sensed that the feelings of your grandfathers, grandmothers, and other relatives toward the Four Northern Islands, your ancestral home, have been passed down to you. Though we face very severe circumstances, we will negotiate persistently with Russia for the conclusion of a peace treaty, and resolve the issue of the attribution of the Four Northern Islands.
However, it will be very difficult to advance negotiations and conclude a peace treaty without the understanding and the support of the people.
To that end, I believe that if young people like you share your words, not only with the rest of Japan, but with the rest of the world, this will surely have an impact.
The former islanders are aging, and some have even passed away, so I truly hope that members of younger generations will carry on their feelings and keep doing your best for them.”
