The Kuril Islands dispute (Russian: Спор о принадлежности Курильских островов Spor o prinadlezhnosti Kuril'skikh ostrovov.), also known as the Northern Territories dispute (Japanese: 北方領土問題, Hoppō Ryōdo Mondai?), 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 Northern Territories (北方領土, Hoppō Ryōdo?) or Southern Chishima (南千島, Minami Chishima?), as being part of the Nemuro Subprefecture of Hokkaidō Prefecture.