Kurile Islands as Problem of Russian-Japanese Relations in 2014-2016

This paper is devoted to the study of changes in the positions of the Japanese and Russian governments in the period from 2014 to 2016, marked by the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Japan. In the context of globalization and the growing interdependence between countries, the long-standing territorial conflict between Russia and Japan has an important role in the formation of bilateral relations. The territorial dispute over the ownership of the southern Kuril Islands, namely the islands of Kunashir, Shikotan, Iturup and Habomai rocks, calls into question the possibility of effective long-term relations between Russia and Japan. This work examines the attempts of Russia and Japan to solve the problem of the Kuril Islands during 2014 - 2016, describes recent positions of the countries, outlines the possible mechanisms for solving the problem of the Kuril Islands, and describes the main problems and challenges that do not allow the Kuril issue to be resolved nowadays.