Russian stance makes Japan islands deal impossible

Significance As Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's cabinet shapes its approach, the major outstanding bilateral issues with Russia remain unresolved: the dispute over the South Kuril islands/Northern Territories and the still unsigned formal peace treaty to end the Second World War. The Japanese-Russian economic relationship continues regardless, with particular emphasis on energy. Impacts Japan will strengthen its alliance with the United States and regional allies, while Russia will further develop partnership with China. Energy cooperation with Japan will strengthen Russia's role as a supplier of energy to East Asian countries. The Trans-Siberian route will grow in importance as a freight link between Japan and Europe.

OCEANOLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN THE AREA OF SOTH KURIL ISLANDS ACCORDING TO SHIP AND SATELLITE OBSERVATIONS

The materials of satellite observations of the sea surface temperature in the study area (1998–2020) were also analyzed by statistical methods and by decomposition according to the EOF. The amplitude of the averaged curve of the annual variation of the ocean surface temperature (SST) as a whole for the region was estimated, which was 7° (the contribution of the semiannual component with an amplitude of 1°С is small), as well as the most significant anomalies that reached 4°С in cold August 2002 and 3°С in warm September 2012. A quasiperiodic course of the envelope of summer maximums with a period of 5–6 years was revealed. It is shown that there is negligible trend in the thermal regime in the study area. Based on the analysis of materials from 10 oceanological surveys, seasonal variations in hydrological conditions in the area of South Kuril Islands were studied. It is shown that the areas of the Kunashirsky and Yuzhno-Kurilsky Straits in the warm season are filled with warm and salty waters of the Soya Current, and in winter and spring - with freshened modified water from the Amur River runoff transported by the East Sakhalin Current. Annual salinity variations exceed 1.5 psu here.

CHARACTERISTICS OF ANTICYCLONIC EDDY FORMED AT THE PACIFIC COAST OF THE SOUTHERN KURIL ISLANDS IN THE SPRING 1999

Based on the analysis of oceanographic survey materials and sea surface temperature satellite observations, the conditions of formation and characteristics of the anticyclonic eddy located in the region of the South Kuril Islands in the spring of 1999 were studied. It was shown that it separated from the subarctic front as result of its interaction with the Oyashio current stream in the second half of March and ceased to exist in mid-June, which is also confirmed by observations of the concentration of chlorophyll-a. In contrast the eddies formed as a result of meandering of the warm Kuroshio and Tsugaru currents, the eddy core, located at depths of 150–300 m, was characterized by lower values of temperature and salinity (4°–4.6°С and 33.55–33.65 е.п.с.) and low current velocities ( about 10 cm/s). The eddy was rather weakly distinguished in the density field both on horizontal and vertical distributions, as well as according to satellite altimetry data.

The structure of the bark of the annual stem of Spiraea beauverdiana (Rosaceae) in the conditions of the solfatar fields of the Golovnin volcano’s caldera (Kunashir, South Kuril Islands)

The results of comparative analysis of adaptive features of bark of the Spiraea beauverdiana S.K. Schneid. (Rosaceae Juss.) are presented in the extreme conditions of the Central Eastern solfatara field of the Golovnin volcano’s caldera and typical conditions (pinus pumila-shrub sasa sp.). A statistical analysis of the structural parameters of annual stem S. beauverdiana bark has been conducted, which has made it possible to distinguish features dependent on extreme environmental conditions. Parameters of annual stem bark have been elicited, which have higher than normal values: stem diameter, bark thickness, the thickness of periderm and phellem, radial diameter of phellem cells, lack of biseriate phloem rays. It was found the formation of distinct zones of bark abnormal structures having adaptive character in extreme conditions of solfataric fields. These abnormal zones are characterized by the own line of symmetry, they are sphere-shaped, tissues and cells indices forming these structures massively differ from the same parts with typical structures. The structural response of the annual stem bark of S. beauverdiana is likely to have an adaptive nature.

PACIFIC COD OF THE KURIL ISLANDS: STOCK AND CONTEMPORARY FISHING

The paper analyzes the long-term dynamics of stocks and annual catches of Pacific cod of the Kuril Islands, and also considers the structure of its modern fishery, taking into account the changes that have occurred in the organization of its coastal fishing in recent years. It was shown that the dynamics of commercial biomass of Pacific cod in the Northern and Southern Kuril Islands is comparable to that in 1975-2020 for groups in the southeastern part of the Bering Sea, the Karagin and Olyutor bays, on the shelf of Western Kamchatka, and in south-western Sakhalin. Development of the cod fishery in the North and South Kuril Islands in 1980-2019 went in accordance with the dynamics of stocks, the maximum catches were observed during the period of a high level of abundance of both groups in the 1980s. While the structure of the cod fishery on the shelf of the Northern Kuril Islands to date can be considered established, the development of fishing in the South Kuril Islands in the last two decades went by the gradual replacement of trawl fishing in the winter-spring period with snorkeling in the summer season.

RESEARCH OF FOREST SITES AFFECTED BY THE INFLUENCE OF EIGHT-DENTATED BARK BEETLE (IPS TYPOGRAPHUS) IN THE KURILSKIY RESERVE (KUNASHIR ISLAND)

Climate change has a major impact on forest pest outbreaks. In recent years, there have been several major climatic events in the South Kuril Islands that have cascaded impacts on forest pests. One of these effects was exerted by the typhoon of 2014, after which the coniferous forests began to dry out in the Kurilskiy Nature Reserve, as well as in the protected zone. Drying of forests on the island of Kunashir is one of the main problems. The aim of this study was to detect and study the sites of attack of eight-dentated bark beetle (Ips typographus) in the reserve, laying test areas in the distribution foci. This study showed that spruce aged 50-70 are mainly susceptible to the attacks of eight-dentated bark beetle. However, it is worth noting that the attack of the bark beetle was seen more on Sakhalin spruce (Piceaglehnii), less - on Yezo spruce (Piceajezoensis) in the places where the test plots were laid. In addition, the study has identified significant differences between healthy, weakened trees and neighboring dead trees attacked by Ipstypographus. These differences were most pronounced in: individual shading, collective shading, and distance and tier factors. Forest pests have not been relatively studied previously. This study will give a new understanding of its ecology, as well as practical opportunities for its management