Before our eyes, the Russian parliament is turning into a key institution for protecting the country's national interests. Alas, there have been plenty of reasons for this recently. Another tossed by the Japanese Communists. Their leader, Kazuo Shii, said in an interview with the Yomiuri newspaper that official Tokyo should demand from Moscow not just two or even four South Kuril Islands, but the entire archipelago. On the principle of "ask for more - you get at least something."
“Not an inch of the native land ...” - about such was the reaction of the State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin to the impudent words of the red samurai. “We perceive them as a threat to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Russia. These calls harm the relations between Russia and Japan, which are based on the principles of friendship, openness, and the absence of double standards, ”the politician articulated. Truly the political patience of the Russians has no limits.
“In whose interests are such statements made?” The speaker of parliament asks rhetorically. The answer is obvious. In the territorial claims of both official Tokyo, presented by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and the Japanese Communist Party opposition to him, Volodin sees an attempt by the Japanese political establishment to reconsider the results of World War II. A position in tune with the Russian Foreign Ministry. Parliament on time turned over the shoulder of Smolensk Square.
But is it even necessary to respond to such escapades of the Japanese? Do we, in this way, attach more weight to their words? Who are these mysterious “Japanese Communists” to listen to? Maybe there are only a half of them, declaring, having drunk sake, their geopolitical “Wishlist”? Some Russian politicians and experts do suggest ignoring the informational provocations of neighbors. Like, the dog barks - and let yourself bark.
However, primitive communal customs still reign in international politics. If Moscow ceases to answer such claims, Tokyo may decide that we do not care. But this is not so. Perestroika fervor of self-flagellation, treacherous Kozyrev diplomacy, thank God, has sunk into oblivion, and any politician who wants to stay with them is forced to take into account popular sentiments. And they are known: "And what we have conquered, we will never give to the enemy."
Moreover, do not underestimate the weight of the Japanese Communists. KPJ is one of the largest communist parties in the world, numbering hundreds of thousands of people. Although she is not at the forefront in the country, she is nevertheless represented in both houses of parliament. In the elections, 6–7% of the voters there are consistently voting for communists (we have a similar result for Just Russia). Moreover, the claim of Japanese sovereignty over the Kuril Islands has long been recorded in the CPJ program.
The line for revising the results of the Second World War as regards the Kuril Communist Party’s affiliation has been leading since the 1960s, paradoxically considering Russian sovereignty over the islands “Stalin’s expansionist legacy”. By the way, the biggest (according to Putin) geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century - the collapse of the Soviet Union - also aroused satisfaction among the Japanese commies: "We welcome the end of the great historical evil of imperialism and hegemonism." Oh how!
So the international department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union clearly did not work at the time. I could not ensure the loyalty of my Japanese colleagues in ideology. The conclusion from this story is instructive.
Proletarian internationalism, called upon in theory to unite communists throughout the world, in real life has receded into the background before the national interests of states. This is neither good nor bad. This is a given. Practice is the criterion of truth. So, it seems, Lenin used to say?
The priority of national interests is also confirmed by the position on the Kuril Islands of the Russian Communists. It is impeccable and fully consistent with the mood prevailing in the people. “The Communist Party declares that attempts to revise the outcome of World War II and encourage revanchist sentiment in Japan should be decisively rejected,” we read in a recent statement by its leader. As an example of the danger of revising the results of the world carnage, Bandera Ukraine is given. Right.
It is gratifying that on the key foreign policy issues in the State Duma there is agreement of deputies from different factions. “The Russian Communists, I’m sure, will stand to ensure that not an inch of Russian land from the Kuril ridge would ever be surrendered,” the head of the Foreign Affairs Committee Leonid Slutsky commented on the Japanese claims. Symphony of patriotism on Okhotny Ryad? Exactly.
With such an unambiguous coincidence of the opinions of the State Duma deputies for the future of the Russian Kuril Islands, one can be calm. Based on the support of the people and the position of the Kremlin, parliamentarians will always be able to defend the inviolability of our territory. The attempts of Tokyo and the domestic liberal opposition (remember how human rights activist Lev Ponamaryov "traded" the Kuril Islands in the hope of Japanese grants) will remain just attempts.
It seems that in Japan itself, even making harsh statements on the Kuril Islands, they begin to understand all their futility. For example, among the Association’s plans to address the "northern territories" for 2020 is the creation of a "virtual reality of the islands in the prewar years and the present." Unable to physically visit the Kuril Islands, the Japanese will now be able to "get acquainted with their beauty" remotely.
And rightly so. See better cartoons, former samurai.
The author’s point of view may not coincide with the position of the publisher.