OREANDA-NEWS Far-right Japanese organizations are holding protests on February 7 on the "Day of the Northern Territories" — this is how the southern islands of the Kuril Ridge are called in the country.

In the morning, the authorities sent additional police squads to the Russian Consulate General in Osaka, and several roads were blocked around the diplomatic mission.

Later, a representative of the far-right approached the gates of the consulate and read out a manifesto in which Russia was called upon to "return the illegally occupied islands." Then a dozen cars and minibuses with loudspeakers began to ply the quarter where the Consulate General is located. They also called for the return of the islands, RIA "Novosti" reports.

The movement of the cars of the far-right was monitored by reinforced police squads. At the same time, pedestrians and vehicles moved in this area in normal mode, there were no pickets or rallies near the consulate.

The Day of the Northern Territories is celebrated in Japan in memory of the signing of the Treaty of Shimoda in 1855, the first diplomatic agreement between the Russian Empire and Japan. According to this agreement, the southern Kuril Islands became Japanese: Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and the Habomai group. Following the results of World War II, the islands were incorporated into the USSR, but Japan still disputes their affiliation.