Yuri, Uninhabited island in Nemuro Subprefecture and Yuzhno-Kurilsky District, Japan and Russia.
Yuri, also known as Yuri-tō in Japanese and Jurij in Russian, is an uninhabited island in the Habomai Islands group, claimed by both Japan and Russia. It sits in the northwestern Pacific Ocean and is made up mostly of volcanic rock, rising to a modest height above sea level.
In 1799, traders from Akkeshi and Nemuro set up bases on the island to fish and trade with the Ainu people who lived in the area. After Soviet forces took control in 1945, the remaining population left and the island has been uninhabited ever since.
The island's name comes from the Ainu language and refers to cormorants, the seabirds that were once common along its shores. In Japanese it is called Yuri-tō, while in Russian it is known as Jurij, and both names reflect the layered past of the southern Kurils.
There is no regular transport to the island, so reaching it requires a private or specialized vessel and careful planning. The weather in this part of the Pacific can turn quickly, so visitors should be well prepared before setting out.
Before 1945, the island was home to around 500 people who made their living from fishing. The remains of old buildings are still said to be visible on the island, left behind when everyone departed after the war.
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