'Russian Coup' Story Years Old--Reischauer

Russian seizure of Japanese islands, headlined by last night's Boston Traveler, was described as "nothing very startling" by Edwin O. Reischauer, professor of Far Eastern Languages. The "seizure," Reischauer said, took place five years ago.

Reischauer, reached in his home late yesterday, emphasized that Russia's occupation of the Habomai Islands, northeast of Japan, is not a case of "new Russian aggression." The United States, said Reischauer, is merely recognizing a Japanese claim that the island belong to Japan and are not part of the Kurile group as Russia claims.