was it ever under the control of another country?
Japan negotiated with Russia over control of the Kuril Islands
Kuril Islands
Japan negotiated with Russia over control of the Kuril Islands, resulting in the Treaty of Saint Petersburg that ceded the eighteen islands north of Uruppu to Japan and all of Sakhalin to Russia.

what is pacific swift? A species of bird. which family does it belong to? Swift family. how does it look like? The general shape and blackish plumage recall its relative, the common swift, from which it is distinguished by a white rump band and heavily marked underparts. could you please describe its call? This swift's main call is a screech typical of its family. what does it eat? All swifts feed on insects caught in flight. where can this species be found? Eastern Asia from the Ob River northeast to Kamchatka and east to the Kuril Islands, Sakhalin and Japan. could you specify the location of the islands? Kuril islands located in Russia's Sakhalin Oblast from where did the name of the islands originate? The name "Kuril" originates from the autonym of the aboriginal Ainu, the islands' original inhabitants: "kur", meaning "man". how is the climate like here? Generally severe, with long, cold, stormy winters and short and notoriously foggy summers.
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Kuril Islands [SEP] Japanese administration
Life on the islands became more stable when a regular sea route connecting islands with Hokkaidō was opened and a telegraphic system began. At the end of the Taishō period, towns and villages were organized in the northern territories and village offices were established on each island. The Habomai island towns were all part of Habomai Village for example. In other cases the town and village system was not adopted on islands north of Uruppu, which were under direct control of the Nemuro Subprefectural office of the Hokkaidō government. Each village had a district forestry system, a marine product examination center, salmon hatchery, post office, police station, elementary school, Shinto temple, and other public facilities.