The end of the 'dual possession' of Sakhalin as multilateral diplomacy, 1867-73

Abstract

This article revisits the history of Russo-Japanese 'dual possession' of Sakhalin in the late nineteenth century from a multilateral perspective. Using unpublished sources from Japanese and British archives, and benefiting from recent research on Russian materials, it argues that Russia's attempt at the exclusive control of Sakhalin was aimed primarily at keeping out the Americans and the British, not the Japanese. It also reveals that Japanese and British officers in the region falsely believed that Russia was preparing the occupation of Hokkaido. The findings challenge the existing historiography, which has treated the island's history solely in the context of Russo-Japanese relations.