In 1855, Russia and Japan signed the Treaty of Shimoda, which declared that nationals of both countries could inhabit the island: Russians in the north, and Japanese in the south, without a clearly defined boundary between.
I 1855 underskrev Rusland og Japan Shimoda-traktaten, således at begge landes borgere kunne bosætte sig på øen: russerne i nord, og japanerne i syd, uden at der dog blev anlagt en klar grænse.