新任冲绳及北方领土事务大臣表示，日本政府将重点努力提高年轻人对涉及俄罗斯控制的四个由日本声称拥有主权的岛屿的领土问题的认识。
The Japanese government will focus on efforts to raise young people’s awareness about a territorial issue involving the four Russian-held islands claimed by Japan, the new minister for Okinawa and Northern Territories affairs has said.
大臣叶梨康弘周四在接受采访时表示，这些努力将包括吸引学校修学旅行前往靠近这些岛屿（日本称之为北方领土）的地区，并在社交媒体上分享相关信息。
Such efforts will include attracting school trips to areas close to the islands, called the Northern Territories in Japan, and sharing related information on social media, the minister, Yasuhiro Hanashi, said in an interview on Thursday.
叶梨说：“我们还将在外务省的配合下，推动（该问题相关）信息向海外传播。”
“We’ll also promote the dissemination of information (about the issue) abroad, in cooperation with the Foreign Ministry,” Hanashi said.
叶梨将这场领土争议描述为日俄之间“最大的未决问题”，并表示日本决心解决该问题并与俄罗斯缔结和平条约。
Describing the territorial dispute as “the biggest pending issue” between Japan and Russia, Hanashi said that Japan is determined to resolve the issue and conclude a peace treaty with Russia.
这四个岛屿——择捉岛、国后岛、色丹岛和齿舞群岛——是在第二次世界大战接近尾声时被前苏联军队占领的。
The four islands — Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan and the Habomai group of islets — were seized by former Soviet troops in the closing days of World War II.
*叶梨强调，解决领土争议是“全体国民的事项”。“全国上下齐心协力解决这个问题至关重要。”
Resolving the territorial dispute is “an issue for the entire nation,” Hanashi emphasized. “It’s essential for the whole nation to work together to solve the problem.”
他说：“恢复双边交流项目，包括前居民访问岛上祖先墓地的活动，也是我们的优先事项之一，”并承诺将“坚持不懈地呼吁恢复该项目”。
“Resuming a bilateral exchange program, including visits by former residents to their ancestors’ graves on the islands, is also one of our priorities,” he said, promising to “persistently call for the program’s resumption.”
关于最南端的冲绳县，叶梨表示：“减轻（冲绳）承担驻日美军基地的负担是一项重要的政策任务。”大臣表示：“我们将为冲绳的发展竭尽全力，”包括利用已归还日本的前美军基地旧址。
Regarding the southernmost prefecture of Okinawa, Hanashi said, “Addressing the burden (on Okinawa) of hosting U.S. bases is an important policy task.”“We will do our utmost for Okinawa’s development,” including the use of former U.S. base sites returned to Japan, the minister said.
关于从明年4月开始的2027财年增加冲绳发展预算的可能性，叶梨表示：“逐一制定真正有助于此目的的措施，比一个具体的预算数字更重要。”他补充说，日本政府“将在听取上个月就职的冲绳知事玉城丹尼意见的同时，在预算编制过程中恰当处理（此事）”。
On the possibility of increasing the Okinawa development budget for fiscal 2027, starting next April, Hanashi said, “Compiling measures genuinely helpful for this purpose one by one is more important than a specific budget figure.”He added that the Japanese government “will address (the matter) appropriately in the budget compilation process while listening to Okinawa Governor Genta Koja,” who took office last month.