Who controls the four northern islands of Japan now?

The Kuril Islands, where the disputed islands between Russia and Japan are located, are located north of Hokkaido in Japan and south of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia. They include more than 30 islands of various sizes. The four islands in the southern part of the archipelago, Shikotan, Habomai, Ortoru and Kunashiri, are called the Southern Kuril Islands in Russia and the four northern islands in Japan. The four islands are currently controlled by Russia. The total area of ??the islands is 4,994 square kilometers. They are rich in natural resources. Their total value is estimated to be about 50 billion US dollars. However, since ancient times, the strategic value of the islands has not only been in economic interests, but also for Russia. The Southern Kuril Islands are the most important strategic barrier in the Russian Far East. They are an important sea and air base to defend the region and a strategic location to contain Japan. They are also an important channel for Russia to freely enter and exit the ocean.

It is also of important strategic value to Japan. It is an important guarantee for the security of Hokkaido, the northern tip of Japan.

On August 8, 1945, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan and launched the Far East Campaign. The Kuril Islands Campaign was an important part of the Far East Campaign. On August 18, the Soviet army began to attack the Kuril Islands. In the battle that lasted more than half a month, almost all the Japanese troops guarding the islands were destroyed: more than 1,000 people were killed and more than 60,000 were captured. After 1950, these islands were included in the Soviet administrative planning, and nearly 20,000 Japanese residents on the four islands were expelled by the Soviet Union. After that, the Soviet Union began to immigrate to the islands on a large scale. Since then, the Soviet Union has been occupying the Kuril Islands. However, Japan never recognized the Soviet Union's sovereignty over the islands and claimed sovereignty over the islands.