Changes

As in the [[seikanron|debate over invading Korea]], which was playing out simultaneously, two factions emerged within the Meiji government over whether to abandon Sakhalin, or to defend claims to it, even at the risk of war with Russia. [[Kuroda Kiyotaka]], head of the [[Hokkaido Development Office]], advocated abandoning Sakhalin. Very few Japanese lived there, the government had already poured considerable funds into it with little return, and Hokkaidô was still very much in need of development. He was opposed by [[Saigo Takamori|Saigô Takamori]], [[Eto Shinpei|Etô Shinpei]], [[Okamoto Kansuke]], [[Nabeshima Naomasa]], and others, who were concerned about the Russian threat, and who felt that military efforts to defend the island (much like an invasion of Ryûkyû) could serve as a release valve, so to speak, directing disgruntled [[shizoku|former samurai]] into productive military efforts so as to prevent them turning their restlessness into armed revolt against the government.<ref>Walker, 210.; Though Saigô and his supporters would get an overseas military expedition in [[1874]], in [[Taiwan Expedition of 1874|Taiwan]], many still rose up in [[shizoku rebellions|rebellion]] in [[1876]]-[[1877]].</ref>

As in the [[seikanron|debate over invading Korea]], which was playing out simultaneously, two factions emerged within the Meiji government over whether to abandon Sakhalin, or to defend claims to it, even at the risk of war with Russia. [[Kuroda Kiyotaka]], head of the [[Hokkaido Development Office]], advocated abandoning Sakhalin. Very few Japanese lived there, the government had already poured considerable funds into it with little return, and Hokkaidô was still very much in need of development. He was opposed by [[Saigo Takamori|Saigô Takamori]], [[Eto Shinpei|Etô Shinpei]], [[Okamoto Kansuke]], [[Nabeshima Naomasa]], and others, who were concerned about the Russian threat, and who felt that military efforts to defend the island (much like an invasion of Ryûkyû) could serve as a release valve, so to speak, directing disgruntled [[shizoku|former samurai]] into productive military efforts so as to prevent them turning their restlessness into armed revolt against the government.<ref>Walker, 210.; Though Saigô and his supporters would get an overseas military expedition in [[1874]], in [[Taiwan Expedition of 1874|Taiwan]], many still rose up in [[shizoku rebellions|rebellion]] in [[1876]]-[[1877]].</ref>

The dispute with Russia over the territory was finally resolved, for the time being at least, with a formal treaty signed in [[1875]]. In this agreement, Japan renounced all claims to Sakhalin in exchange for Russia recognizing all the Kurils as Japanese territory.

Kuroda's faction eventually won out. Russia's presence on the island already far exceeded that of Japan, and so it was all but inevitable that Japan would lose the island anyway; further, Kuroda's arguments about the economic disadvantages of developing Sakhalin gradually came to convince more of the oligarchs to turn to his side. The dispute with Russia over the territory was thus finally resolved, for the time being at least, with [[Treaty of St. Petersburg (1875)|a formal treaty]] signed on May 7, [[1875]]. In this agreement, Japan renounced all claims to Sakhalin in exchange for Russia recognizing all the Kurils as Japanese territory.<ref>Walker, 211.</ref>

Sakhalin was the site of [[Battle of Karafuto|the last land battle]] of the [[Russo-Japanese War]]. In treaty negotiations following the war, Russia rejected Japanese demands for rights to all of Sakhalin. In he final agreement, the [[1905]] [[Treaty of Portsmouth]], Russia still ceded the southern portion of the island. A major [[Shinto shrine]], called [[Karafuto Shrine]], was established there in [[1912]]. Southern Sakhalin remained part of the Japanese Empire until the very last days of World War II, when the Soviet Union finally began attacking Japanese territory.  

Sakhalin was the site of [[Battle of Karafuto|the last land battle]] of the [[Russo-Japanese War]]. In treaty negotiations following the war, Russia rejected Japanese demands for rights to all of Sakhalin. In he final agreement, the [[1905]] [[Treaty of Portsmouth]], Russia still ceded the southern portion of the island. A major [[Shinto shrine]], called [[Karafuto Shrine]], was established there in [[1912]]. Southern Sakhalin remained part of the Japanese Empire until the very last days of World War II, when the Soviet Union finally began attacking Japanese territory.