First meeting in 19 months: Japan seeks to revive territorial talks with Russia

First meeting in 19 months: Japan seeks to revive territorial talks with Russia

MOSCOW — Japan is resolved to resume stalled negotiations with Russia over a decadeslong territorial row, visiting Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida indicated Monday.

     “As neighbors, it is important for Japan and Russia to continue their dialogue all the more because we have problems,” Kishida said at the start of a meeting with counterpart Sergey Lavrov at the Russian Foreign Ministry here.

     “We want to have a constructive discussion on bilateral relations, such as issues over a peace treaty,” Kishida said.

     Lavrov said that “we hope to be able to work together to improve the complex situation that has arisen between Russia and Japan due to causes unrelated to bilateral relations,” alluding to economic sanctions over Crimea.

     “We aim to move Japan-Russia relations forward in all areas,” he said.

Still at war

The disputed islands are known as the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kurils in Russia. The countries never concluded a peace treaty for World War II, having failed to resolve the dispute stemming from the 1945 occupation of the islands by Soviet forces.

     Bilateral talks have stalled since Japan joined the U.S. and European allies on economic sanctions against Russia over its annexation of Crimea. The Japanese and Russian foreign ministers last met in February 2014, making the latest Moscow meeting the first in 19 months. The two countries have also not held territorial talks since the vice-ministerial-level discussions of January 2014.

     Kishida and Lavrov likely discussed a possible itinerary for Vladimir Putin — the two have been working to realize a visit by the Russian president to Japan this year — in addition to a possible bilateral summit on the sidelines of international meetings, such as the United Nations General Assembly later this month.

Money and power

Russia has stepped up its pressure on Japan of late, sending senior officials to the disputed isles and reiterating that the territory became part of Russia as a result of the war. Kishida had planned to visit Russia in August but postponed those plans after Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev visited the disputed area.

     Japan hopes to move the issue forward by using stronger economic ties, such as Japanese investments in Russia, as leverage. Kishida is accompanied by a private-sector delegation from Japan at the Russians’ insistence. He and First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov will preside over a meeting Tuesday of the Russia-Japan Intergovernmental Committee on Trade and Economic Issues, a forum created to promote bilateral trade.

     Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has expressed strong enthusiasm for finally resolving the territorial row and concluding a peace treaty. The government hopes that the latest ministerial meeting will serve as an opportunity to realign Japan’s Russian diplomacy.

First meeting in 19 months: Japan seeks to revive territorial talks with Russia