Treaty of Saint Petersburg (1875)
Saint Petersburg, Russia
What happened
Enomoto Takeaki signed the treaty for Japan, with Russian officials signing for Russia. Since 1855, Sakhalin island had been shared by Russia and Japan, which led to quarrels between settlers. In Saint Petersburg they agreed a swap: Japan gave up its part of Sakhalin, and Russia gave Japan the Kuril Islands it held. All of Sakhalin became Russian and the whole Kuril chain Japanese.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It settled the Russia–Japan border for a time. Because the official French text was translated differently, it is also part of today's Kuril Islands dispute.
What came next
Japan won southern Sakhalin in 1905. In 1951 Japan gave up its claims to the Kurils, but the Soviet Union did not sign that treaty, and the dispute continues.
Did you know?
The treaty's official text was written in French.
Timeline
- 7 February 1855Treaty of Shimoda.
- 7 May 1875Treaty of Saint Petersburg.
- 22 August 1875Ratifications are exchanged in Tokyo.
- 5 September 1905Treaty of Portsmouth.