YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK, March 28 (RIA Novosti correspondent Pyotr Tsyrendorzhiyev) – Japan is ready to help Japanese, who remained on Sakhalin after World War II, return home, the press service of the Sakhalin region committee for international, foreign economic and inter-regional relations told RIA Novosti.

The press service cited Hirabayashi Yesiaka, head of the delegation of the Japanese Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry’s war victims’ relief division, as saying that “the Japanese government is ready to help Japanese return to their places of permanent residence.” If necessary, Japan may assist them in obtaining visas and finance their transport expenditures, he said.

380 Japanese live on Sakhalin. During the visit to Sakhalin the delegation wanted to see how their compatriots lived and ask whether they wanted to return to their fatherland.

Sakhalin has a union of Japanese who stayed here after the war, the press service pointed out. However, since then there have been many mixed marriages and many Japanese have become Russian citizens. In this connection, if Japanese and their families decide to move to Japan, this issue will be resolved as provided by both Russian and Japanese legislation, the agency’s interlocutor said.