The Kuril Islands dispute ( Spor o prinadlezhnosti Kuril'skikh ostrovov), also known as the , is a dispute between Japan and Russia and also some individuals of the Ainu people over sovereignty of the South Kuril Islands. The disputed islands, which were annexed by Soviet forces during the Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation after the end of World War II, are under the Russian administration as South Kuril District of the Sakhalin Oblast (Сахалинская область, Sakhalinskaya oblast). They are claimed by Japan, which refers to them as the or , as being part of the Nemuro Subprefecture of Hokkaido Prefecture.